Argentina election spending: PASO suspension saves US$9.5 million

A report by Fundación Éforo indicates that the suspension of the PASO (Primarias Abiertas, Simultáneas y Obligatorias) during Argentina's 2025 legislative elections resulted in a savings of only US$9.5 million. This figure is significantly lower than the US$200 million in savings previously estimated by the government.

According to the study, the state allocated 468,083 million pesos to political parties and electoral processes in 2025. This represents a real-term reduction of only 3% compared to the 482,561 million pesos spent during the 2021 legislative elections, which included both the PASO and general elections.

The report identifies rising logistics costs as a primary factor that neutralized potential savings. Specifically, services provided by Correo Argentino cost 225,113 million pesos, accounting for 48% of the total electoral expenditure for the year. This logistics cost was the highest in the foundation's historical series, exceeding costs recorded during presidential elections with run-offs in 2015 and 2023.