Argentina's government lacks Senate votes to scrap PASO primaries

The ruling coalition in Argentina is unable to secure enough votes in the Senate to eliminate the Primarias Abiertas, Simultáneas y Obligatorias (PASO). Allies in the Senate have also rejected proposals to introduce district‑based collector lists, a system previously criticized by members of the coalition. Key figures such as Patricia Bullrich have described collector lists as a “retrograde” measure, though she later qualified that no better alternative has been found. Governors of Tucumán (Osvaldo Jaldo), Misiones (Hugo Passalacqua) and Chubut (Ignacio Torres) have publicly opposed the collector‑list proposal. The executive has postponed definitive electoral‑reform decisions until the end of the year, with the likelihood that any legislation will be delayed until the budget discussion for 2027, possibly in November. Alternative options under discussion include making PASO non‑mandatory, removing the closed‑party requirement, or altering state financing for the primaries. The stalemate reflects broader disagreements within the coalition and among its partner parties (UCR, PRO, provincial groups) about how to restructure the electoral system ahead of the 2027 presidential election.