Government and Politics of Argentina

Government Type

republic

Administrative Divisions

23 provinces (provincias, singular - provincia), and 1 autonomous city* (distrito federal); Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires Capital Federal*, Catamarca, Chaco, Chubut, Cordoba, Corrientes, Entre Rios, Formosa, Jujuy, La Pampa, La Rioja, Mendoza, Misiones, Neuquen, Rio Negro, Salta, San Juan, San Luis, Santa Cruz, Santa Fe, Santiago del Estero, Tierra del Fuego - Antartida e Islas del Atlantico Sur, Tucuman

Legal System

mixture of US and West European legal systems; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal and mandatory

Citizenship

citizenship by birth: yes citizenship by descent only: yes dual citizenship recognized: yes residency requirement for naturalization: 2 years

Executive Branch

chief of state: President Javier MILEI (since 10 December 2023); Vice President Victoria VILLARRUEL (since 10 December 2023); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Javier MILEI (since 10 December 2023); Vice President Victoria VILLARRUEL (since 10 December 2023); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year terms; election last held 22 October 2023, with a runoff held on 19 November 2023 (next election to be held in 2027) election results: results of the first-round presidential election of 22 October 2023: Sergio MASSA 36.7%, Javier MILEI 30.0%, Patricia BULLRICH 23.8%, Juan SCHIARETTI 6.8%, Myriam BREGMAN 2.7%; runoff election held 19 November 2023: Javier MILEI 55.7%, Sergio MASSA 44.3%; MILEI elected president

Legislative Branch

bicameral National Congress or Congreso Nacional consists of the Senate (72 seats; members are elected by direct vote; one-third of the members elected every two years to a six-year term) and the Chamber of Deputies (257 seats; members are elected by direct vote; one-half of the members elected every two years to a four-year term) elections: Senate - last held 22 October 2023 (next to be held in 2025); Chamber of Deputies - last held 22 October 2023 (next to be held in 2025) election results: Senate - seats by bloc or party following 2023 elections - Unión por la Patria 13, La Libertad Avanza 7, Juntos por el Cambio/PRO 6, other 2; Chamber of Deputies - seats by bloc or party following 2023 elections - Unión por la Patria 99, La Libertad Avanza 38, Juntos por el Cambio/PRO 37, Hacemos Coalición Federal 17, other 66; note - La Libertad Avanza, the political movement of President Javier Milei, emerged as a major force following the 2023 general elections, while the traditional Peronist and center-right blocs retained significant congressional representation

Judicial Branch

Supreme Court or Corte Suprema (the nine Supreme Court judges are appointed by the president with approval by the Senate)

Political Parties

Alternative for a Republic of Equals or ARI [Elisa CARRIO]; Front for Victory or FV [Nestor KIRCHNER]; Interbloque Federal or IF (a broad coalition of approximately 12 parties including RECREAR) [leader NA]; Justicialist Front or FJ [Eduardo DUHALDE]; Justicialist Party or PJ (Peronist umbrella political organization) [leader NA]; Radical Civic Union or UCR [Roberto IGLESIAS]; Republican Initiative Alliance or PRO (including Federal Recreate Movement or RECREAR [Ricardo LOPEZ MURPHY] and Commitment for Change or CPC [Mauricio MACRI]); Socialist Party or PS [Ruben GIUSTINIANI]; Union For All [Patricia BULLRICH]; several provincial parties

Head of State

President Javier MILEI

Head of Government

President Javier MILEI

Cabinet

Cabinet appointed by the president

Elections

Senate - last held 22 October 2023 (next to be held in 2025); Chamber of Deputies - last held 22 October 2023 (next to be held in 2025)

Election Results

Senate - seats by bloc or party following 2023 elections - Unión por la Patria 33, La Libertad Avanza 9, Pro 7, Unión Cívica Radical 13, other 10; Chamber of Deputies - seats by bloc or party following 2023 elections - Unión por la Patria 99, La Libertad Avanza 38, Pro 37, Unión Cívica Radical 34, Hacemos Coalición Federal 17, other 33; note - La Libertad Avanza, the libertarian political movement led by President Javier Milei, emerged as a significant force following the 2023 general elections after Milei's victory in the presidential runoff against Peronist candidate Sergio Massa. Despite holding a minority in both chambers, Milei's administration has pursued sweeping economic reforms, relying on executive decrees and shifting congressional alliances to advance its agenda, while traditional Peronist and center-right blocs retain considerable legislative influence.

Constitution

1 May 1853; revised August 1994

Independence

9 July 1816 (from Spain)

National Holiday

Revolution Day, 25 May (1810)

International Organization Participation

AfDB, Australia Group, BCIE, BIS, FAO, G-6, G-15, G-24, G-77, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, LAES, LAIA, Mercosur, MICAH, MINURSO, NSG, OAS, OPANAL, OPCW, PCA, RG, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMIK, UNMOVIC, UNTSO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO, ZC

Diplomatic Representation in the U.S.

chief of mission: Ambassador Jose Octavio BORDON chancery: 1600 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20009 telephone: [1] (202) 238-6400 FAX: [1] (202) 332-3171 consulate(s) general: Atlanta, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York

U.S. Diplomatic Representation

chief of mission: Ambassador Lino GUTIERREZ embassy: Avenida Colombia 4300, C1425GMN Buenos Aires mailing address: international mail: use street address; APO address: Unit 4334, APO AA 34034 telephone: [54] (11) 5777-4533 FAX: [54] (11) 5777-4240

Capital City

Buenos Aires

Location

34 36 S, 58 22 W

Time Difference

UTC-3 (2 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

History

the name translates as "fair winds" in Spanish and derives from the original designation of the settlement that would become the present-day city, "Santa Maria del Buen Aire" (Saint Mary of the Fair Winds)

U.S. Embassy Buenos Aires, Argentina Avenida Colombia 4300, Palermo Telephone: (54) (11) 5777-4533 Emergency after-hours telephone: (54) (11) 5777-4873 Facsimile: (54) (11) 5777-4250

Military Branches

Argentine Army (Ejercito Argentino), Navy of the Argentine Republic (Armada Republica; includes naval aviation and naval infantry), Argentine Air Force (Fuerza Aerea Argentina, FAA)

Service Age and Obligation

18-24 years of age for voluntary military service (18-21 requires parental consent); no conscription; if the number of volunteers fails to meet the quota of recruits for a particular year, Congress can authorize the conscription of citizens turning 18 that year for a period not exceeding one year