President Javier Milei could on track for his first legislative win of the year after the ruling party La Libertad Avanza (LLA) agreed with the so-called “friendly opposition” to discuss suspending or permanently eliminating Argentina’s primary elections and ratifying an anti-graft law. Congressional sessions will be held in the coming weeks, although neither bill is guaranteed to pass.

On Tuesday, Lower House President and LLA member Martín Menem agreed with opposition and ruling party deputies to schedule the first session for February 6 and the second for Feb 11. If formally announced, these would be the only two debates during Congress’ extraordinary session period, which ends on February 21.

Conspicuously absent from this session has been any discussion of the 2025 budget bill. While several deputies mentioned the need to debate it on the Lower House floor, a LLA source told the Herald that “there’s no chance” of that happening.

Between the two proposals, the government is perhaps most committed to eliminating the PASO, Argentina’s primary elections, in which candidates and voters alike are obligated to participate. This system has been in place for the past 16 years and has been questioned by the government and other sectors for being too expensive and burdensome for the electorate.

During the meeting, however, a majority of deputies indicated that they are not willing to do away with the primaries altogether. Some also proposed holding a longer debate during the ordinary session period to discuss separate issues included in the bill, such as the elimination of public financing for parties that participate in the PASO.

“Because it’s the government’s priority that there be no public spending for the primaries this year, they have proposed to suspend them,” said Lourdes Arrieta, a former LLA deputy who left the ruling party following a scandal in which several of its officials visited dictatorship-era torturers in prison. She is now the lone member of her own bloc.

Still others disagreed with the suspension proposal. Unión Cívica Radical (UCR) Deputy Karina Banfi, who was present at the meeting, told the Herald that “this issue deserves more time for debate.” 

“Suspending the PASO has more support than eliminating them, but it all depends on the campaign funding reform included in that bill,” Banfi continued. She added that that eliminating public funding for campaigns would have “severe consequences” for democracy because the private sector would have to fill the void. This, in turn, could introduce “spurious money” into Argentine political system — including from drug traffickers.

Several deputies proposed the bill be formally debated during regular Congressional sessions. One possible outcome is that a vote is held on the suspension of the 2025 PASO elections in February and that electoral funding will be addressed later in the year.

Although Banfi acknowledged that there are “not enough votes” currently to eliminate or suspend the PASO, an LLA source said that the government has the numbers “in principle” for the latter, and for the enaction of an anti-graft bill known as Ficha Limpia.

Initially promoted by PRO, Ficha Limpia has the support of most of the “friendly opposition,” while Peronists maintain that its true objective is to proscribe ex-president Cristina Kirchner. The bill was nearly debated in November but didn’t have the required number of deputies present for a congressional session to be held. Several absentees were from LLA, which spurred rumors that the government does not want it to pass. Now, deputies are set to debate a new version written by LLA.

“There is a consensus for Ficha Limpia to pass, unless the libertarians decide not to occupy their seats once again,” Banfi said.

Some LLA allies, like Arrieta, remain conflicted about the bill. 

“In formal terms I think it’s good, but looking into it, judges could have the power to choose who can be a candidate by manipulating the timeframe of a conviction,” Arrieta told the Herald. “Most politicians are contaminated. They can always have a frontman who will do the dirty work for them. This bill is just for show.”