This is a first victory for Javier Milei. The Argentine President’s deregulatory reform package took its first step on Friday, February 2, in the Argentine Parliament, which approved it on its principle “in general”, without presaging a delicate examination to come in detail, in particular on the privatizations and powers delegated to the executive.
On the third day of marathon sessions in the hemicycle, against a backdrop of demonstrations and clashes with the police, the Chamber of Deputies approved the so-called “Omnibus Law” project by 144 votes for and 109 against.
A symbolic success for President Javier Milei, given his parliamentary minority (third force), this approval in principle is partly due to the numerous concessions made in recent weeks to the pharaonic initial text of the executive, from 664 articles initially to less than half.
Possible changes for “in particular” voting
The law affects many areas of the public and private spheres, from the electoral system to education, from culture to privatizations, the criminal code, commercial, self-defense, firefighting, divorce, the status of football clubs , etc.
A few hours before the vote, the presidency had ordered the deputies, in a press release, “to demonstrate which side of history they want to be (…). History will judge them according to their work in favor of the Argentines or in favor of the continued impoverishment of the people.
From Tuesday, deputies will examine the reform package in detail then vote “in particular”, theme by theme or even article by article. Many MPs who approved the law in principle have announced that they will demand additional changes.
