1999 Argentine general election

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1999 Argentine general election
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Presidential election
  1995 24 October 1999 2003  
Registered24,111,270
Turnout82.32%
  Fernando de la Rua con baston y banda de presidente (recortada).jpg Duhalde en La Matanza en 1996 (cropped).jpg Domingo Cavallo (cropped).jpg
Nominee Fernando de la Rúa Eduardo Duhalde Domingo Cavallo
Party Radical Civic Union Justicialist Party Action for the Republic
Alliance Alliance for Work, Justice and Education Justicialist Consensus for Change Action for the Republic
Running mate Carlos Álvarez Ramón Ortega Armando Caro Figueroa
States carried19 + CABA 40
Popular vote9,167,2207,255,5861,937,544
Percentage48.37%38.28%10.22%

Elecciones Argentina 1999.png
Most voted party by province (left) and department (right).

President before election

Carlos Menem
Justicialist Party

Elected President

Fernando de la Rúa
Radical Civic Union

Legislative election
  1997 8 August 1999 to 24 October 1999 2001  

130 of 257 seats in the Chamber of Deputies
Turnout82.27%
PartyVote %Seats+/–
Chamber of Deputies
Alliance for Work, Justice and Education 45.89%66+1
Justicialist Party 38.63%51−1
Action for the Republic 8.12%9+6
Buenos Aires Unity Party 1.57%1+1
Democratic Party of Mendoza 1.27%1−1
Republican Force 0.54%1−1
Neuquén People's Movement 0.48%10
Others 4.04%0−2
This lists parties that won seats. See the complete results below.
Mapa de las elecciones legislativas de Argentina de 1999.png
Results by province

Argentina held presidential elections on 24 October 1999. Legislative elections were held on four dates, 8 August, 12 September, 26 September and 24 October, though most polls took place on 24 October.

Contents

Background

The Convertibility Plan, which had helped bring about stable prices and economic recovery and modernization, had endured the 1995 Mexican peso crisis, the 1997 Asian financial crisis, and other global shocks; but not without strain. Argentine business confidence struggled following these events and unemployment, already higher as a result of a wave of imports and sharp gains in productivity after 1990, had hovered around 15% since 1995. Economic problems also led to a sudden increase in crime, particularly property crime, and President Carlos Menem's unpopularity had left his Justicialist Party (whose populist Peronist platform he had largely abandoned) weakened. [1] [2]

Having himself experienced the burdens of an economy in crisis, former president and centrist Radical Civic Union (UCR) leader Raúl Alfonsín negotiated the Alliance for Work, Justice, and Education between the center-left FREPASO, who had finished second in the 1995 general elections, and his own UCR party. The Alliance had great electoral success in the 1997 midterm elections winning a majority of congressional seats up for election preventing the Justicialist Party from obtaining a legislative majority, though they retained a legislative plurality. Following their initial victory, the party geared for the 1999 elections by nominating Buenos Aires Mayor Fernando de la Rúa for president and FREPASO leader Carlos 'Chacho' Álvarez as his running mate. De la Rúa had overwhelmingly won the party's 1998 presidential primaries.  [ es ] Álvarez, a former Peronist who had broken ranks with his party following Menem's turn to the right in 1989, remained the country's most prominent center-left figure following FREPASO's defeat in 1995. He also provided an ideological counterbalance to De la Rúa, a moderately conservative UCR figure who had himself, in 1973, previously been the running mate on a UCR ticket defeated by Juan Perón.

The Justicialist Party was badly positioned as the economy re-entered recession in late 1998. President Menem had only worsened its image by flirting with seeking an unprecedented third straight term, though this was barred by the Argentine Constitution. Unable to persuade Congress to approve these plans, he pledged to run again in 2003, stating that "if I had been permitted to run, I am sure I would have won." [3] His dismissal of de la Rúa as "boring" moreover was effectively used by the Alliance campaign in their ads, by which de la Rúa's tedium became a desirable alternative to Menem's "party" (a reference to the outgoing administration's numerous corruption scandals). [4]

Broadsides like these only further undermined his party's nominee, Buenos Aires Province Governor Eduardo Duhalde, who as a more traditional Peronist, had been distanced from the President since being elected governor in 1991. Duhalde's own approval suffered, however, as crime rates in the Greater Buenos Aires area (home to 2/3 of his constituents) rose steadily. This weakness was highlighted by the Ramallo massacre, a botched police intervention of a bank robbery on September 17 in which members of the force were implicated. An imposing figure in his party despite his diminutive height, Duhalde could only agree on a marginal figure in the party as his running mate: pop musician and former Tucumán Province Governor Ramón Ortega. [5]

Domingo Cavallo, the economist behind the "Argentine miracle" of the early 1990s, had become unpopular during the 1995 recession. He was acrimoniously dismissed by the President in 1996 following his public allegations of influential "mafias" in Menem's entourage. His statements gained validity, however, following the 1997 murder of a news magazine photojournalist targeted by a shipping magnate close to Menem. Cavallo founded the Action for the Republic, and thus became a further obstacle to Duhalde, who would now lose a large share of the Menem vote to the unpredictable economist. [5]

The recession, which had begun to ease on the eve of the October 24 election date, remained a central campaign issue. De la Rúa, who had earned plaudits for his fiscal discipline while mayor of Buenos Aires, stressed the need to crack down on graft and corruption. Besides referring to Menem himself, he pointed to the presence of exiled Paraguayan strongman General Lino Oviedo (who had been allowed in as a fugitive by Menem) as a poster child of the prevailing state of the rule of law. Duhalde focused on promises to combat the recession and double-digit unemployment. An anticipated runoff election was ultimately not needed, since the Alliance obtained 48% of the total vote - winning on the first round by 10% over Duhalde. Cavallo received only 10%, and much of the remainder went to left-wing parties (in contrast to 1995, when the far-right gained top minor-party status). [5]

The 1999 legislative elections renewed about half of the Chamber of Deputies (130 seats); there were no elections to the Senate. The Alliance obtained 63 seats, the Justicialist Party 51, and Domingo Cavallo's Action for the Republic 7. This left the Justicialists in the minority in the Lower House for the first time since 1989. [6]

Candidates for President

Results

President

Presidential
candidate
Vice Presidential
candidate
PartyVotes%
Fernando de la Rúa Carlos Álvarez Total de la Rúa - Álvarez9,167,22048.37
Alliance for Work, Justice and Education (Alianza)8,788,83446.37
Democratic Progressive Party (PDP)297,1291.57
Autonomist - Liberal - Democratic Progressive 81,2570.43
Eduardo Duhalde Ramón "Palito" Ortega Total Duhalde - Ortega7,253,90238.27
Justicialist Consensus for Change6,466,86734.12
Union of the Democratic Centre (UCEDE)562,6742.97
Federal Integration Front79,7490.42
Justicialist Party (PJ)69,3970.37
United Popular Movement50,0820.26
Front of Hope18,0890.10
Federal Party 7,0440.04
Domingo Cavallo Armando Caro FigueroaTotal Cavallo - Caro Figueroa1,937,54410.22
Action for the Republic 1,859,9959.81
Union of the Democratic Centre of Santa Fe (UCEDE)77,5490.41
Patricia Walsh Rogelio de Leonardi United Left (IU)151,9770.80
Lía MéndezJorge Pompei Humanist Party (PH)131,8110.70
Jorge Altamira Pablo Rieznik Workers' Party (PO)113,9160.60
Jorge Emilio ReynaNéstor Gabriel MocciaResistance Front57,1330.30
Juan Ricardo MussaIrene Fernanda HerreraSocial Christian Alliance53,1430.28
José Alberto MontesOscar Hernández Socialist Workers' Party (PTS)43,9110.23
Domingo Camilo QuarracinoAmelia Rearte Authentic Socialist Party (PSA)43,1470.23
Total18,953,704100
Positive votes18,953,70495.49
Blank votes708,8763.57
Invalid votes186,7610.94
Total votes19,849,341100
Registered voters/turnout24,111,27082.32
Sources: [7] [8]

Chamber of Deputies

PartyVotes %Seats wonTotal seats
Alliance for Work, Justice and Education (Alianza)8,497,07645.8966131
Justicialist Consensus for Change 7,153,78638.6351103
Action for the Republic (AR)1,502,7328.12912
Buenos Aires Unity Party (PAUBO)289,8601.5711
Democratic Party of Mendoza (PD)235,3571.2713
Humanist Party (PH)144,7120.78
United Left (IU)150,4930.81
Workers' Party (PO)110,5760.60
Republican Force (FR)99,5720.5413
Neuquén People's Movement (MPN)89,7980.4812
Authentic Socialist Party (PSA)46,0010.25
Resistance Front42,3880.23
Socialist Workers' Party (PTS)35,9770.19
Unity and Liberty Party (PUyL)23,4710.13
Union for the Future20,6700.11
Neighborhood Unity Movement12,5450.07
Renewal Party11,4040.06
Social Christian Alliance6,7110.04
New Alliance6,5950.04
New Liberal Alternative Party5,6550.03
Party of the City5,5730.03
Río Gallegos Neighborhood Movement for Santa Cruz4,8360.03
Fueguian People's Movement (MOPOF)4,5620.021
Educational Party3,4630.02
Chaco Action (ACHA)3,1850.02
Third Epoch Party2,9210.02
Fuegian Action Front2,0840.01
Salta Solidarity Party1,6030.01
Independence Party1,5400.01
Solidarity Movement1,4320.01
Emancipatory Front2920.00
Development and Justice PartyDid not run1
Total18,516,870100130257
Positive votes18,516,87093.37
Blank votes1,122,9805.66
Invalid votes192,8620.97
Total votes19,832,712100
Registered voters/turnout24,107,41482.27
Sources: [9] [8]

Results by province

ProvinceAlianzaJusticialist ConsensusAROthers
Votes %SeatsVotes %SeatsVotes %SeatsVotes %Seats
Buenos Aires 3,080,13343.30162,984,89841.9716511,4657.192536,1757.541
Buenos Aires City 1,029,34052.398439,19922.351348,81417.753147,5707.51
Catamarca 82,08653.94166,57043.7413,5372.32
Chaco 255,09658.602172,84639.7117,3511.69
Chubut 105,01760.74264,34637.2113,5442.05
Córdoba 761,72845.744675,20340.554170,21510.22158,1113.49
Corrientes 192,17545.432203,56948.12222,5625.334,6961.11
Entre Ríos 315,65949.942289,11745.74221,6553.435,6260.89
Formosa 91,79148.65195,74350.7421,1500.61
Jujuy 116,36949.322107,76245.6717,5133.184,2891.82
La Pampa 79,26047.63179,60147.8415,4683.292,0731.25
La Rioja 38,86031.02186,41268.982
Mendoza 302,24438.272175,16422.18166,8128.461245,53131.091
Misiones 189,93845.682224,02953.8721,8740.45
Neuquén 74,67136.31133,32716.2197,62347.481
Río Negro 136,12157.32260,96125.67134,20514.406,1882.61
Salta 200,69744.942210,72347.18220,0444.4915,1513.39
San Juan 159,25451.92299,52132.44145,01314.672,9500.96
San Luis 73,27644.62167,49041.09123,47114.29
Santa Cruz 37,56145.85137,33445.5817,0208.57
Santa Fe 865,84652.326547,00433.053194,64411.76147,4682.87
Santiago del Estero 115,65234.352189,62756.3328,7762.6122,5976.71
Tierra del Fuego 10,11225.7619,65824.60111,48429.2618,00020.38
Tucumán 184,19032.702233,68241.49234,0626.05111,28119.761
Total8,497,07645.89667,153,78638.63511,502,7328.1291,363,2767.364

Governors

Provincial elections were held in every province except Corrientes. Elections for Mayor of the City of Buenos Aires were held the following May. The Justicialist Party increased their majority among governors by one, to 15; outgoing Vice President Carlos Ruckauf was elected Governor of Buenos Aires Province, the nation's largest. The UCR retained 6, mainly in the Alliance (all but 3 Alliance candidates, in turn, were from the UCR). The Justicialists wrested governorships from the UCR (Córdoba), from the MPF in Tierra del Fuego (which endorsed the Justicialists), and from the far-right Republican Force (Tucumán); the UCR, in turn, displaced the Justicialists in Entre Ríos, Mendoza, and San Juan. [10] [11]

DistrictElected GovernorParty%Runner-upParty%
Buenos Aires Carlos Ruckauf Justicialist 48.3 Graciela Fernández Meijide FREPASO (Alliance)41.4
Catamarca Oscar Castillo Civic Social Front (UCR)52.6 Ramón Saadi United for Catamarca 44.7
Chaco Ángel Rozas R Front for All 63.4 Jorge Capitanich Union for a New Chaco 35.9
Chubut José LizurumeUCR (Alliance)52.0 Marcelo Guinle Justicialist46.1
City of Buenos Aires 1 Aníbal Ibarra FREPASO (Alliance)49.3 Domingo Cavallo Encounter for the City 33.2
Córdoba 2 José Manuel de la Sota Justicialist49.6 Ramón Mestre LUCR40.5
Entre Ríos Sergio Montiel UCR (Alliance)49.1Héctor Maya All for Entre Ríos 47.5
Formosa Gildo Insfrán RJusticialist73.7Gabriel HernándezUCR (Alliance)26.1
Jujuy Eduardo Fellner RJusticialist50.6 Gerardo Morales UCR (Alliance)49.4
La Pampa Rubén Marín RJusticialist56.7Juan Carlos PassoUCR (Alliance)39.8
La Rioja Ángel Maza RJusticialist68.6José Luis BelliaUCR (Alliance)29.5
Mendoza Roberto Iglesias UCR (Alliance)37.9Carlos Balter Democratic 32.2
Misiones Carlos Rovira R Front for Change 53.7Ricardo Barrios ArrecheaUCR (Alliance)45.8
Neuquén Jorge Sobisch Neuquén People's Movement 44.2Oscar MasseiFREPASO (Alliance)36.7
Río Negro Pablo Verani RUCR (Alliance)48.6Remo Costanzo Union for Río Negro 41.7
Salta Juan Carlos Romero RJusticialist58.5 Ricardo Gómez Diez UCR (Alliance)40.2
San Juan Alfredo Avelín UCR (Alliance)55.7Jorge Escobar LJusticialist42.3
San Luis Adolfo Rodríguez Saá RJusticialist54.3Walter CeballosUCR (Alliance)45.0
Santa Cruz Néstor Kirchner RJusticialist54.6Anselmo MartínezUCR (Alliance)44.3
Santa Fe Carlos Reutemann Justicialist57.6 Horacio Usandizaga UCR (Alliance)41.4
Santiago del Estero Carlos Juárez RJusticialist52.2Héctor RuizNew Alliance26.3
Tierra del Fuego Carlos ManfredottiJusticialist50.9 Jorge Colazo UCR (Alliance)49.1
Tucumán Julio Miranda Justicialist36.5Ricardo Bussi Republican Force 35.8

1: Election held May 7, 2000. The City of Buenos Aires is not a province but an autonomous federal territory. The head of the local Executive is referred to as "Government Chief."
2: Election held December 20, 1998.
R: Reelected.
L: Incumbent lost.

See also

References

  1. Todo Argentina: 1995-99 (in Spanish)
  2. "Argentina: Elections held in 1999". IPU.
  3. "Anti-Peronist claims victory in Argentina presidential election". CNN. October 24, 1999. Archived from the original on 2012-07-18. Retrieved 2009-05-19.
  4. "Vote for me, declares Argentine. I'm boring". New York Times. September 26, 1999.
  5. 1 2 3 Todo Argentina: 1999 (in Spanish)
  6. "Diputados Nacionales, 1999". Atlas Electoral de Andy Tow. Archived from the original on 2012-03-22. Retrieved 2012-07-02.
  7. "Recorriendo las Elecciones de 1983 a 2013 - Presidenciales". Dirección Nacional Electoral. Archived from the original on 2017-09-28. Retrieved 2017-09-27.
  8. 1 2 "Elecciones Nacionales ESCRUTINIO DEFINITIVO 1999" (PDF). Ministry of the Interior. Archived from the original (PDF) on 24 March 2016.
  9. "Recorriendo las Elecciones de 1983 a 2013 - Diputados Nacionales". Dirección Nacional Electoral. Archived from the original on 2022-06-26. Retrieved 2021-01-03.
  10. "Gobernador electo (1999)". Atlas Electoral de Andy Tow. Archived from the original on 2012-04-04. Retrieved 2012-07-02.
  11. "En el 2003, el peronismo logra el mayor predominio político-electoral de los últimos veinte años". Observatorio Electoral Latinoamericano. Archived from the original on 2013-09-24.