1999 Argentine general election

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.

1999 Argentine general election

Presidential election
24 October 1999
Registered24,111,270
Turnout82.32%
 
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 carried 19 + CABA 4 0
Popular vote 9,167,220 7,255,586 1,937,544
Percentage 48.37% 38.28% 10.22%

Most voted party by province (left) and department (right).

President before election

Carlos Menem
Justicialist Party

Elected President

Fernando de la Rúa
Alliance for Work, Justice and Education

Legislative election
8 August 1999 to 24 October 1999

130 of 257 seats in the Chamber of Deputies
Turnout82.27%
Party % 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% 1 0
Others 4.04% 0 -2
Results by province

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]

Himself experienced with the burdens of an economy in crisis, former president and centrist UCR leader Raúl Alfonsín negotiated a big tent alliance with the center-left FrePaSo in 1996. Following the Alliance's success in 1997, 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 and Álvarez were both veteran also-rans. A former Peronist who had broken ranks with his party following Menem's turn to the right in 1989, Álvarez remained the country's most prominent center-left figure following the Frepaso's defeat in 1995. He also provided a counterbalance to de la Rúa, a moderately conservative UCR figure who had himself (in 1973) been the running mate on a defeated UCR ticket.

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
Party Votes %
Fernando de la Rúa Carlos Álvarez Total de la Rúa - Álvarez 9,167,220 48.37
Alliance for Work, Justice and Education (Alianza) 8,788,834 46.37
Democratic Progressive Party (PDP) 297,129 1.57
Autonomist - Liberal - Democratic Progressive 81,257 0.43
Eduardo Duhalde Ramón "Palito" Ortega Total Duhalde - Ortega 7,253,902 38.27
Justicialist Consensus for Change 6,466,867 34.12
Union of the Democratic Centre (UCEDE) 562,674 2.97
Federal Integration Front 79,749 0.42
Justicialist Party (PJ) 69,397 0.37
United Popular Movement 50,082 0.26
Front of Hope 18,089 0.10
Federal Party 7,044 0.04
Domingo Cavallo Armando Caro Figueroa Total Cavallo - Caro Figueroa 1,937,544 10.22
Action for the Republic 1,859,995 9.81
Union of the Democratic Centre of Santa Fe (UCEDE) 77,549 0.41
Patricia Walsh Rogelio de Leonardi United Left (IU) 151,977 0.80
Lía Méndez Jorge Pompei Humanist Party (PH) 131,811 0.70
Jorge Altamira Pablo Rieznik Workers' Party (PO) 113,916 0.60
Jorge Emilio Reyna Néstor Gabriel Moccia Resistance Front 57,133 0.30
Juan Ricardo Mussa Irene Fernanda Herrera Social Christian Alliance 53,143 0.28
José Alberto Montes Oscar Hernández Socialist Workers' Party (PTS) 43,911 0.23
Domingo Camilo Quarracino Amelia Rearte Authentic Socialist Party (PSA) 43,147 0.23
Total 18,953,704 100
Positive votes 18,953,704 95.49
Blank votes 708,876 3.57
Invalid votes 186,761 0.94
Total votes 19,849,341 100
Registered voters/turnout 24,111,270 82.32
Sources:[7][8]

Chamber of Deputies

Party Votes  % Seats won Total seats
Alliance for Work, Justice and Education (Alianza) 8,497,076 45.89 66 131
Justicialist Consensus for Change 7,153,786 38.63 51 103
Action for the Republic (AR) 1,502,732 8.12 9 12
Buenos Aires Unity Party (PAUBO) 289,860 1.57 1 1
Democratic Party of Mendoza (PD) 235,357 1.27 1 3
Humanist Party (PH) 144,712 0.78
United Left (IU) 150,493 0.81
Workers' Party (PO) 110,576 0.60
Republican Force (FR) 99,572 0.54 1 3
Neuquén People's Movement (MPN) 89,798 0.48 1 2
Authentic Socialist Party (PSA) 46,001 0.25
Resistance Front 42,388 0.23
Socialist Workers' Party (PTS) 35,977 0.19
Unity and Liberty Party (PUyL) 23,471 0.13
Union for the Future 20,670 0.11
Neighborhood Unity Movement 12,545 0.07
Renewal Party 11,404 0.06
Social Christian Alliance 6,711 0.04
New Alliance 6,595 0.04
New Liberal Alternative Party 5,655 0.03
Party of the City 5,573 0.03
Río Gallegos Neighborhood Movement for Santa Cruz 4,836 0.03
Fueguian People's Movement (MOPOF) 4,562 0.02 1
Educational Party 3,463 0.02
Chaco Action (ACHA) 3,185 0.02
Third Epoch Party 2,921 0.02
Fuegian Action Front 2,084 0.01
Salta Solidarity Party 1,603 0.01
Independence Party 1,540 0.01
Solidarity Movement 1,432 0.01
Emancipatory Front 292 0.00
Development and Justice Party Did not run 1
Total 18,516,870 100 130 257
Positive votes 18,516,870 93.37
Blank votes 1,122,980 5.66
Invalid votes 192,862 0.97
Total votes 19,832,712 100
Registered voters/turnout 24,107,414 82.27
Sources:[9][8]

Results by province

Province Alianza Justicialist Consensus AR Others
Votes  % Seats Votes  % Seats Votes  % Seats Votes  % Seats
Buenos Aires 3,080,133 43.30 16 2,984,898 41.97 16 511,465 7.19 2 536,175 7.54 1
Buenos Aires City 1,029,340 52.39 8 439,199 22.35 1 348,814 17.75 3 147,570 7.51
Catamarca 82,086 53.94 1 66,570 43.74 1 3,537 2.32
Chaco 255,096 58.60 2 172,846 39.71 1 7,351 1.69
Chubut 105,017 60.74 2 64,346 37.21 1 3,544 2.05
Córdoba 761,728 45.74 4 675,203 40.55 4 170,215 10.22 1 58,111 3.49
Corrientes 192,175 45.43 2 203,569 48.12 2 22,562 5.33 4,696 1.11
Entre Ríos 315,659 49.94 2 289,117 45.74 2 21,655 3.43 5,626 0.89
Formosa 91,791 48.65 1 95,743 50.74 2 1,150 0.61
Jujuy 116,369 49.32 2 107,762 45.67 1 7,513 3.18 4,289 1.82
La Pampa 79,260 47.63 1 79,601 47.84 1 5,468 3.29 2,073 1.25
La Rioja 38,860 31.02 1 86,412 68.98 2
Mendoza 302,244 38.27 2 175,164 22.18 1 66,812 8.46 1 245,531 31.09 1
Misiones 189,938 45.68 2 224,029 53.87 2 1,874 0.45
Neuquén 74,671 36.31 1 33,327 16.21 97,623 47.48 1
Río Negro 136,121 57.32 2 60,961 25.67 1 34,205 14.40 6,188 2.61
Salta 200,697 44.94 2 210,723 47.18 2 20,044 4.49 15,151 3.39
San Juan 159,254 51.92 2 99,521 32.44 1 45,013 14.67 2,950 0.96
San Luis 73,276 44.62 1 67,490 41.09 1 23,471 14.29
Santa Cruz 37,561 45.85 1 37,334 45.58 1 7,020 8.57
Santa Fe 865,846 52.32 6 547,004 33.05 3 194,644 11.76 1 47,468 2.87
Santiago del Estero 115,652 34.35 2 189,627 56.33 2 8,776 2.61 22,597 6.71
Tierra del Fuego 10,112 25.76 1 9,658 24.60 1 11,484 29.26 1 8,000 20.38
Tucumán 184,190 32.70 2 233,682 41.49 2 34,062 6.05 111,281 19.76 1
Total 8,497,076 45.89 66 7,153,786 38.63 51 1,502,732 8.12 9 1,363,276 7.36 4

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]

District Elected Governor Party % Runner-up Party %
Buenos AiresCarlos RuckaufJusticialist48.3Graciela Fernández MeijideFREPASO (Alliance)41.4
CatamarcaOscar CastilloCivic Social Front (UCR)52.6Ramón SaadiUnited for Catamarca44.7
ChacoÁngel Rozas RFront for All63.4Jorge CapitanichUnion for a New Chaco35.9
ChubutJosé LizurumeUCR (Alliance)52.0Marcelo GuinleJusticialist46.1
City of Buenos Aires1Aníbal IbarraFREPASO (Alliance)49.3Domingo CavalloEncounter for the City33.2
Córdoba2José Manuel de la SotaJusticialist49.6Ramón Mestre LUCR40.5
Entre RíosSergio MontielUCR (Alliance)49.1Héctor MayaAll for Entre Ríos47.5
FormosaGildo Insfrán RJusticialist73.7Gabriel HernándezUCR (Alliance)26.1
JujuyEduardo Fellner RJusticialist50.6Gerardo MoralesUCR (Alliance)49.4
La PampaRubén Marín RJusticialist56.7Juan Carlos PassoUCR (Alliance)39.8
La RiojaÁngel Maza RJusticialist68.6José Luis BelliaUCR (Alliance)29.5
MendozaRoberto IglesiasUCR (Alliance)37.9Carlos BalterDemocratic32.2
MisionesCarlos Rovira RFront for Change53.7Ricardo Barrios ArrecheaUCR (Alliance)45.8
NeuquénJorge SobischNeuquén People's Movement44.2Oscar MasseiFREPASO (Alliance)36.7
Río NegroPablo Verani RUCR (Alliance)48.6Remo CostanzoUnion for Río Negro41.7
SaltaJuan Carlos Romero RJusticialist58.5Ricardo Gómez DiezUCR (Alliance)40.2
San JuanAlfredo AvelínUCR (Alliance)55.7Jorge Escobar LJusticialist42.3
San LuisAdolfo Rodríguez Saá RJusticialist54.3Walter CeballosUCR (Alliance)45.0
Santa CruzNéstor Kirchner RJusticialist54.6Anselmo MartínezUCR (Alliance)44.3
Santa FeCarlos ReutemannJusticialist57.6Horacio UsandizagaUCR (Alliance)41.4
Santiago del EsteroCarlos Juárez RJusticialist52.2Héctor RuizNew Alliance26.3
Tierra del FuegoCarlos ManfredottiJusticialist50.9Jorge ColazoUCR (Alliance)49.1
TucumánJulio MirandaJusticialist36.5Ricardo BussiRepublican Force35.8

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. 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. "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.
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