2003 Argentine general election

2003 Argentine general election

Presidential election
27 April 2003
Registered	25,481,410
Turnout	78.22%
100px 100px 100px Nominee Carlos Menem Néstor Kirchner Ricardo López Murphy Party PJ PJ Recreate Alliance Front for Loyalty - UCEDE FPV Federal Movement Recreate Running mate Juan Carlos Romero Daniel Scioli Ricardo Gómez Diez States carried 12 8 CABA Popular vote 4,741,200 4,313,131 3,173,584 Percentage 24.45% 22.25% 16.37%   100px 100px 100px Nominee Adolfo Rodríguez Saá Elisa Carrió Leopoldo Moreau Party PJ ARI UCR Alliance FMP - PUL — — States carried 3 0 0 Popular vote 2,736,091 2,723,207 453,373 Percentage 14.11% 14.08% 2.34%
150px 180px Most voted party by province (left) and department (right).
President before election Eduardo Duhalde PJ Elected President Néstor Kirchner FPV-PJ
Legislative election 27 April 2003 to 23 November 2003 Turnout 71.88% (Deputies) 69.17% (Senate) Party Leader % Seats ± Justicialist Party 39.74% 65 Radical Civic Union 13.48% 19 Alternative for a Republic of Equals 9.74% 11 Recreate for Growth 4.02% 2 Commitment to Change Front 3.88% 5 Buenos Aires Popular Front 3.86% 5 Socialist Party 2.92% 3 Federalist Action for Buenos Aires 2.76% 3 New Front 2.61% 3 Self-determination and Freedom 1.32% 2 Republican Force 0.80% 2 Others 15.01% 9 Justicialist Party 40.51% 12 Radical Civic Union 15.60% 5 Socialist Party 9.42% 1 This lists parties that won seats. See the complete results below.

Argentina held a presidential election on Sunday, 27 April 2003. Turnout was 78.2%. No one presidential candidate gained enough votes to win outright, but the scheduled runoff was cancelled when former president and first-round winner Carlos Menem pulled out, handing the presidency to runner-up, Santa Cruz Province Governor Néstor Kirchner of the Front for Victory. Legislative elections were held on 12 dates, 27 April, 24 August, 31 August, 7 September, 14 September, 28 September, 5 October, 19 October, 26 October, 9 November, 16 November and 23 November.

Background

For the first time since the return of democracy in 1983, the Justicialist Party (PJ) failed to agree on a single presidential candidate. Three credible Peronist candidates ran in the election: center-right former President Carlos Menem, center-left Santa Cruz Province Governor Néstor Kirchner, and centrist former president Adolfo Rodríguez Saá. None were officially supported by the party, though President Eduardo Duhalde publicly endorsed Governor Kirchner on January 15, 2003. The PJ suspended its January 24 convention, opting to allow the three contenders to run on the Peronist mantle. None of the candidates were allowed to use the traditional Peronist iconography in detriment of the others.

For the first time since 1916, the UCR did not field a presidential candidate. After the political collapse at the peak of the economic crisis that led to the resignation of President Fernando de la Rúa at the end of 2001, popular support for the UCR was at historically low levels. Two strong former members of the UCR founded parties based on their politics: Congresswoman Elisa Carrió founded a left-of-center party, the ARI, and economist Ricardo López Murphy founded a right-wing one, Recreate for Growth.

These five strong candidates were practically tied in all the pre-election polls. Menem obtained the most votes in the first round, but far short of a first-round victory (about 25%), so a runoff election against Kirchner was required, and was scheduled for May 18. However, after two terms in office from 1989 to 1999, Menem's popularity remained very low. All signs pointed to a record victory for Kirchner (polls showed him leading Menem by anywhere from a 35 to a 50% margin). Rather than face a humiliating defeat, Menem withdrew from the runoff on May 14, a move that was roundly criticized by the other candidates. The courts refused to authorize a new election, and also refused to sanction a runoff between Kirchner and López Murphy (though the latter let it be known he would not take part in any case). Finally, Congress sanctioned Kirchner as president-elect, with the lowest vote share ever recorded for a president in a free election.

Legislative races

Legislative and gubernatorial elections were held throughout 2003, with polls open in different provinces between April and November; average turnout was 70.8%.

These elections were unprecedented in their staggered scheduling; indeed, legislators and governors were chosen over 12 different dates, during 2003. They were also, however, a return to political normalcy following a chaotic and economically depressed 2002.

The Justicialist Party, which was divided among three candidates in the presidential race, remained largely united in legislative and local races. They added 12 seats in the Argentine Chamber of Deputies, as well as 2 governorships, and fears of a high number of dissident tickets did not materialize.

The centrist Radical Civic Union, senior partners in the ill-fated Alliance that had returned them to power in 1999, were left with their smallest representation since 1954, though they were not replaced by the center-left ARI in a significant way; the ARI added but 2 Congressmen.

Voters sentiment improved over 2001 levels (when the sentiment among many was that "they should all go"), though not significantly. Turnout increased only modestly, and the use of invalid votes declined from 24% to 15% from the tense 2001 elections. Voters in the important Santa Fe Province, in particular, curbed their use of spoiled ballots from 30% to 20%.

Kirchner ended 2003 on a more secure footing than before these local and legislative elections. He benefited from allies such as the new governor of the paramount Buenos Aires Province, Felipe Solá, as well as the Mayor of Buenos Aires, Aníbal Ibarra. Argentina celebrated 20 years of continuous democratic rule on December 10, 2003, with a new government carrying generous numbers of allies in Congress and the provinces, as well as voters' high expectations.

Results

President

Presidential candidate	Vice Presidential candidate	Party		Votes	%
Carlos Menem	Juan Carlos Romero		Total Menem - Romero	4,741,200	24.45
			Front for Loyalty	3,776,867	19.48
			Union of the Democratic Centre (UCEDE)	964,333	4.97
Néstor Kirchner	Daniel Scioli		Front for Victory (FPV)	4,313,131	22.25
Ricardo López Murphy	Ricardo Gómez Diez		Federal Movement Recreate for Growth (Recrear)	3,173,584	16.37
Adolfo Rodríguez Saá	Melchor Posse		Total Rodríguez Saá - Posse	2,736,091	14.11
			Front of the Popular Movement	2,340,355	12.07
			Unity and Liberty Party (PUL)	395,736	2.04
Elisa Carrió	Gustavo Gutiérrez		Support for an Egalitarian Republic (ARI)	2,723,207	14.05
Leopoldo Moreau	Mario Losada		Radical Civic Union (UCR)	453,373	2.34
Patricia Walsh	Marcelo Parrilli		United Left (IU)	332,703	1.72
Alfredo Bravo	Rubén Giustiniani		Socialist Party (PS)	217,387	1.12
Jorge Altamira	Eduardo Salas		Workers' Party (PO)	139,402	0.72
Enrique Carlos Venturino	Federico Manuel Pinto Kramer		All of Them Must Go Confederation	129,782	0.67
Guillermo Sullings	Liliana Ambrosio		Humanist Party (PH)	105,705	0.55
José Carlos Arcagni	Marcelo Daniel Zenof		Total Arcagni - Zenof	63,384	0.32
			Times of Changes Alliance	54,873	0.28
			Popular Union (UP)	8,511	0.04
Mario Mazzitelli	Adrián Rodolfo Camps		Authentic Socialist Party (PSA)	50,303	0.26
Carlos Zaffore	Elsa Fabiana Perié		Integration and Development Movement (MID)	47,954	0.25
Manuel Eduardo Herrera	Eduardo Alfredo Cúneo		Christian Democratic Party (PDC)	47,755	0.25
Gustavo Breide Obeid	Ramiro Vasena		People's Reconstruction Party (PPR)	42,461	0.22
Juan Ricardo Mussa	Roberto Natalio Suárez		United or Dominated Alliance	39,507	0.20
Ricardo César Terán	José Alejandro Bonacci		Movement for Dignity and Independence (MODIN)	31,766	0.16
Total				19,388,695	100
Positive votes				19,388,695	97.28
Blank votes				196,563	0.99
Invalid votes				345,651	1.73
Total votes				19,930,909	100
Registered voters/turnout				25,481,410	78.22

Chamber of Deputies

Party		Votes	%	Seats won	Total seats
	Justicialist Party (PJ)	6,250,817	39.74	65	139
	Radical Civic Union (UCR)	2,120,625	13.48	19	55
	Alternative for a Republic of Equals (ARI)	1,532,737	9.74	11	17
	Recreate for Growth (Recrear)	632.303	4.02	2	3
	Commitment to Change Front (PJ + CxC)	611,013	3.88	5
	Buenos Aires Popular Front	606,886	3.86	5	5
	Socialist Party (PS)	459,899	2.92	3	4
	Federalist Action for Buenos Aires	433,369	2.76	3	5
	New Front	410,340	2.61	3	3
	United Left (IU)	387,570	2.46	—	1
	Self-determination and Freedom (AyL)	208,238	1.32	2	4
	Humanist Party (PH)	166,849	1.06	—	—
	Workers' Party (PO)	151,363	0.96	—	—
	Republican Force (FR)	125,954	0.80	2	3
	Front of Everyone (Corrientes) (PJ + UCR)	121,992	0.78	2
	Autonomist Party	110,757	0.70	—	—
	New Party (PANU)	102,764	0.65	1	1
	Salta Renewal Party (PRS)	95,845	0.61	1	2
	Neuquén People's Movement (MPN)	90,740	0.58	2	4
	Will for Integration and Authentic Development	74,911	0.48	—	—
	Democratic Party of Mendoza (PD)	72,935	0.46	—	1
	United for Salta (PJ + UCR)	68,216	0.43	1
	Corrientes Project	65,188	0.41	1	1
	Civic and Social Front of Catamarca	63,415	0.40	2
	Authentic Socialist Party (PSA)	64,276	0.41	—	1
	Christian Democratic Party (PDC)	51,449	0.33	—	—
	Social Pole	53,592	0.34	—	4
	Integration and Development Movement (MID)	48,185	0.31	—	—
	Socialist Workers' Party (PTS)	42,339	0.27	—	—
	Buenos Aires Changes Front	42,268	0.27	—	—
	People's Reconstruction Party (PPR)	37,793	0.24	—	—
	Labor Party of Tucumán	37,327	0.24	—	—
	Liberal Party of Corrientes (PLCo)	35,570	0.23	—	—
	Movement for Socialism (MAS)	33,000	0.21	—	—
	Provincial Neighborhood Movement	30,448	0.19	—	—
	Río Negro Action Movement	24,011	0.15	—	—
	Federal Integration Movement	22,102	0.14	—	—
	Renewal Crusade	21,485	0.14	—	—
	Democratic Renewal	20,209	0.13	—	—
	People's Party	16,279	0.10	—	—
	Our Commitment	16,078	0.10	—	—
	Broad Front (FG)	14,353	0.09	—	—
	Authentic Party	14,069	0.09	—	—
	White Party	13,446	0.09	—	—
	Chubut Action Party (PACH)	13,073	0.08	—	—
	People First	10,441	0.07	—	—
	New Party of Solidary Action	9,927	0.06	—	—
	Broad Front of Work and Production	8,299	0.05	—	—
	Citizen Dignity	6,310	0.04	—	—
	Movement for the Unit of Neuquén	5,936	0.04	—	—
	Freedom and Responsible Democracy	5,782	0.04	—	—
	Retirees in Action Party	4,673	0.03	—	—
	Front for Change	4,617	0.03	—	—
	Retirees and Youth Movement	4,429	0.03	—	—
	San Luis Force	4,101	0.03	—	—
	Citizen Action Party	3,917	0.02	—	—
	Fueguian People's Movement (MOPOF)	3,731	0.02	—	—
	Movement for the Recovery of the Republic	3,182	0.02	—	—
	Popular Participation Party	3,136	0.02	—	—
	Movement for Everyone	2,977	0.02	—	—
	Fuegian Federal Party	2,828	0.02	—	—
	New People	2,783	0.02	—	—
	Federal Party (PF)	2,674	0.02	—	—
	Action for the Republic (AR)	2,380	0.02	—	1
	Conservative People's Party (PCP)	2,069	0.01	—	—
	Revolutionary Socialist League	2,015	0.01	—	—
	Río Gallegos Neighborhood Movement	1,961	0.01	—	—
	White Party of Buenos Aires City	1,868	0.01	—	—
	Front of the Workers, the Unemployed and the Retirees for the Union of Buenos Aires City	1,702	0.01	—	—
	Republican Reconstruction Party	1,628	0.01	—	—
	New Social Hope	1,579	0.01	—	—
	Independents for Change	1,509	0.01	—	—
	Republican Integration Circle	1,421	0.01	—	—
	Provincial Defense - White Flag	1,388	0.01	—	—
	Party of the Current	1,280	0.01	—	—
	Socialist Convergence	1,003	0.01	—	—
	Front of the People	590	0.00	—	—
	Populist Unification	439	0.00	—	—
	Patriotic Liberation Movement	419	0.00	—	—
	Front of Social Integration for a Change in Freedom (FISCAL)	Did not run		—	1
Total		15,729,072	100	130	257
Positive votes		15,729,072	85.55
Blank votes		2,419,921	13.16
Invalid votes		237,200	1.29
Total votes		18,386,193	100
Registered voters/turnout		25,578,509	71.88

Senate

Party		Votes	%	Seats won	Total seats
	Justicialist Party (PJ)	1,849,466	40.51	12	41
	Radical Civic Union (UCR)	712,289	15.60	5	23
	Socialist Party (PS)	430,216	9.42	1	1
	New Front	348,079	7.62	1	1
	Alternative for a Republic of Equals (ARI)	218,202	4.78	—	—
	Recreate for Growth (Recrear)	180,082	3.94	—	—
	Republican Force (FR)	142,422	3.12	2	2
	Front of Everyone (Corrientes) (PJ + UCR)	125,147	2.74	2
	New Party (PANU)	102,776	2.25	1	1
	Democratic Party of Mendoza (PD)	73,073	1.60	—	—
	Corrientes Project	69,207	1.52	—	—
	United Left (IU)	62,816	1.38	—	—
	Humanist Party (PH)	34,575	0.76	—	—
	Liberal Party of Corrientes (PLCo)	33,972	0.74	—	—
	Labor Party of Tucumán	29,451	0.65	—	—
	Democratic Renewal	21,233	0.47	—	—
	Workers' Party (PO)	20,903	0.46	—	—
	White Party	13,545	0.30	—	—
	Social Pole	12,554	0,27	—	—
	Chubut Action Party (PACH)	12,519	0.27	—	—
	Socialist Workers' Party (PTS)	11,771	0.26	—	—
	People First	10,447	0.23	—	—
	New Party of Solidary Action	9,975	0.22	—	—
	Broad Front of Work and Production	8,437	0.18	—	—
	Christian Democratic Party (PDC)	6,330	0.14	—	—
	People's Reconstruction Party (PPR)	5,379	0.12	—	—
	Movement for Dignity and Independence (MODIN)	3,719	0.08	—	—
	Authentic Socialist Party (PSA)	3,218	0.07	—	—
	Popular Participation Party	3,053	0.07	—	—
	New People	2,747	0.06	—	—
	Autonomist Party	2,568	0.06	—	—
	Provincial Defense - White Flag	1,513	0.03	—	—
	Patriotic Movement	1,317	0.03	—	—
	Republican Integration Circle	1,302	0.03	—	—
	Populist Unification	419	0.01	—	—
	Patriotic Liberation Movement	413	0.01	—	—
	Salta Renewal Party (PRS)	Did not run		—	1
	Neuquén People's Movement (MPN)	Did not run		—	2
Total		4,565,135	100	24	72
Positive votes		4,565,135	84.85
Blank votes		726,039	13.49
Invalid votes		89,272	1.66
Total votes		5,380,446	100
Registered voters/turnout		7,779,040	69.17

Governors and Mayor of Buenos Aires

Provincial officials in all districts except Corrientes Province, were elected, as well as the Chief of Government of the City of Buenos Aires. The Justicialist Party wrested two governorships from the UCR (Chubut and Entre Ríos Provinces), and the UCR recovered Tierra del Fuego from the Justicialists.

District	Elected Governor	Party	%	Runner-up	Party	%
Buenos Aires	Felipe Solá	Justicialist	43.3	Luis Patti	Federalist Unity Party	13.3
Catamarca	Eduardo Brizuela del Moral	Civic Social Front (UCR)	50.8	Luis Barrionuevo	Justicialist Front	43.5
Chaco	Roy Nikisch	UCR	53.4	Jorge Capitanich	Front for Victory	40.9
Chubut	Mario das Neves	Justicialist	45.6	José Lizurume L	UCR	41.2
City of Buenos Aires1	Aníbal Ibarra R	Great Front	53.5	Mauricio Macri	Commitment to Change	46.5
Córdoba	José Manuel de la Sota R	Justicialist	51.8	Oscar Aguad	UCR	37.2
Entre Ríos	Jorge Busti	Justicialist	44.6	Sergio Varisco	Social Front Alliance	34.4
Formosa	Gildo Insfrán R	Justicialist	71.8	Gabriel Hernández	Front for All	24.4
Jujuy	Eduardo Fellner R	Justicialist	55.8	Gerardo Morales	UCR	35.2
La Pampa	Carlos Verna	Justicialist	49.1	Francisco Torroba	Alternative Front	25.5
La Rioja	Ángel Maza R	Justicialist	55.4	Jorge Yoma	Work and Production Front	43.4
Mendoza	Julio Cobos	UCR	42.9	Guillermo Amstutz	Justicialist	35.7
Misiones	Carlos Rovira R	Renewal Front	47.9	Ramón Puerta	Justicialist	32.4
Neuquén	Jorge Sobisch R	Neuquén People's Movement	56.1	Aldo Duzdevich	Justicialist	19.9
Río Negro	Miguel Saiz	UCR	32.6	Julio Arriaga	Great Front	20.4
Salta	Juan Carlos Romero R	Justicialist	49.7	Andrés Zottos	Salta Renewal Party	24.4
San Juan	José Luis Gioja	Justicialist	41.4	Roberto Basualdo	Life and Commitment Front	30.8
San Luis	Alberto Rodríguez Saá	Justicialist	90.1	Marcelo Shortrede	Fatherland and Family Movement	5.5
Santa Cruz	Sergio Acevedo	Justicialist	70.9	Anselmo Martínez	Convergence for Santa Cruz	27.9
Santa Fe	Jorge Obeid	Justicialist	43.2	Hermes Binner	Socialist Party	38.3
Santiago del Estero2	Mercedes Aragonés de Juárez R	Justicialist	68.1	José Luis Zavalía	UCR	13.0
Tierra del Fuego	Jorge Colazo	UCR	52.8	Carlos Manfredotti L	Justicialist	47.2
Tucumán	José Alperovich	Justicialist	44.4	Esteban Jerez	Union for Tucumán	25.8
1: 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 September 15, 2002. R: Reelected. L: Incumbent lost.