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127 of 257 seats in theChamber of Deputies | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Turnout | 79.63% | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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This lists parties that won seats. See the complete results below.
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Argentina heldnational legislative elections on 26 October 1997. This election was the second time of theperonistJusticialist Party defeated since 1985, while Justicialist Party maintained control of the Congress.
PresidentCarlos Menem, who successfully campaigned to have theArgentine Constitution amended in 1994 largely for the sake of being eligible for a second term in office, won the1995 election in a landslide. The clouds of recession gathered immediately, however, as Argentine business confidence struggled following the shock of theMexican peso crisis. Unemployment in Argentina, already higher as a result of a wave of imports and sharp gains in productivity after 1990, leapt from 12% to 18% in the first half of 1995 and, as Argentines geared for the 1997 parliamentary mid-term elections two years later, the figure remained around 15% and wages, frozen at their 1994 level.
Themselves beset by sharp divisions over how to confront President Menem, whose longtime pragmatism had given way to increasingly doctrinaireconservatism, the Justicialists' mainstay of support, theCGT labor union, joined smaller unions, leftist activists and the progressiveFrePaSo (the runners-up in the 1995 elections) in a series of general strikes beginning August 1996.
Economic problems also led to a sudden increase in crime, particularly property crime, even during the vigorous recovery during 1996–97. Menem's erstwhile "ace of spades," Economy MinisterDomingo Cavallo, whoseConvertibility Plan was lauded as the reason behind the "Argentine miracle" between 1991 and 1994 (in which the economy, following 16 years of zero growth, expanded by a third), became unpopular during the recession and strained relations with the President after publicly denouncing the influence of "mafias" within the administration. Cavallo was acrimoniously dismissed by the President in July 1996; but the January 1997 murder ofNoticias newsmagazinephotojournalistJosé Luis Cabezas and the subsequent implication of transport magnateAlfredo Yabrán in the crime lent credence to Cavallo's accusations and cost the ruling Justicialist Party further approval.
Presented with a unique opportunity following his once mighty party's poor showing at the 1995 polls, former president andUCR leaderRaúl Alfonsín negotiated an alliance with thecenter-leftFrePaSo and, though in a number of provinces - including the second-largest (Córdoba) - the UCR and FrePaSo ran on different slates, theAlliance won a majority of congressional seats in 13 of 23 provinces and in the city ofBuenos Aires. The results marked the twilight of Menemists' dominance of Argentine politics.[1][2]
| Party | Votes | % | Seats won | Total seats | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alliance for Work, Justice and Education (Alianza) | 8,097,301 | 46.94 | 63 | 114 | |
| Justicialist Party (PJ) | 6,274,385 | 36.37 | 50 | 118 | |
| Action for the Republic (AR) | 662,403 | 3.84 | 3 | 3 | |
| Republican Force (FR) | 247,129 | 1.43 | 2 | 3 | |
| Democratic Party of Mendoza (PD) | 228,291 | 1.32 | 2 | 3 | |
| New Party (PANU) | 223,668 | 1.30 | 2 | 2 | |
| United Left (IU) | 183,132 | 1.06 | — | — | |
| Democratic Progressive Party (PDP) | 159,035 | 0.92 | 1 | 2 | |
| Movement for Dignity and Independence (MODIN) | 158,380 | 0.92 | — | — | |
| Workers' Party (PO) | 152,345 | 0.88 | — | — | |
| Humanist Party (PH) | 122,777 | 0.71 | — | — | |
| Open Policy for Social Integrity (PAIS) | 121,128 | 0.70 | — | — | |
| Union of the Democratic Centre (UCEDE) | 94,845 | 0.55 | — | 3 | |
| Development and Justice Party | 77,476 | 0.45 | 1 | 1 | |
| Autonomist -Liberal -PDP -UCEDE | 77,228 | 0.45 | 1 | 3 | |
| United People | 73,436 | 0.43 | — | — | |
| Authentic Socialist Party (PSA) | 60,470 | 0.35 | — | — | |
| Resistance Front | 42,738 | 0.25 | — | — | |
| Neuquén People's Movement (MPN) | 42,701 | 0.25 | 1 | 2 | |
| Social Progress Party (PPS) | 25,863 | 0.15 | — | — | |
| Retirees' Front | 19,037 | 0.11 | — | — | |
| Chaco Action (ACHA) | 18,951 | 0.11 | — | — | |
| Socialist Workers' Party (PTS) | 16,743 | 0.10 | — | — | |
| Fueguian People's Movement (MOPOF) | 10,740 | 0.06 | 1 | 2 | |
| Chubut Action Party (PACH) | 8,863 | 0.05 | — | — | |
| Institutional Action | 7,739 | 0.04 | — | — | |
| Jujuy People's Movement (MPJ) | 7,681 | 0.04 | — | 1 | |
| Social Unity Movement | 6,952 | 0.04 | — | — | |
| Liberal Democratic Party (PDL) | 6,013 | 0.03 | — | — | |
| Civic Action Movement | 5,521 | 0.03 | — | — | |
| La Rioja Provincial Defense | 4,350 | 0.03 | — | — | |
| Popular Line Movement (MOLIPO) | 3,200 | 0.02 | — | — | |
| Provincial Defense - White Flag | 2,734 | 0.02 | — | — | |
| Independent Call | 2,492 | 0.01 | — | — | |
| Río Gallegos Neighborhood Movement for Santa Cruz | 2,251 | 0.01 | — | — | |
| Salta Solidarity Front | 1,915 | 0.01 | — | — | |
| Opposition Front | 1,571 | 0.01 | — | — | |
| Total | 17,251,484 | 100 | 127 | 257 | |
| Positive votes | 17,251,484 | 93.39 | |||
| Blank votes | 958,676 | 5.19 | |||
| Invalid votes | 262,219 | 1.42 | |||
| Tally sheet differences | 362 | 0.00 | |||
| Total votes | 18,472,741 | 100 | |||
| Registered voters/turnout | 23,198,858 | 79.63 | |||
| Sources:[3][4] | |||||
| Presidency |
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