2003 Argentine general election

Presidential election
  • 27 April 2003
  • 18 May 2003 (planned second round, cancelled)
Registered25,481,410
Turnout78.22%
 
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%

 
Nominee Adolfo Rodríguez Saá Elisa Carrió
Party PJ ARI
Alliance FMP - PUL
States carried 3 0
Popular vote 2,736,091 2,723,207
Percentage 14.11% 14.08%

First round results by province and department.

President before election

Eduardo Duhalde
PJ

Elected President

Néstor Kirchner
FPV-PJ

Legislative election
27 April 2003 to 23 November 2003

130 of 257 seats in the Chamber of Deputies
24 of 72 seats in the Senate
Turnout71.88% (Deputies)
69.17% (Senate)
Party % Seats +/–
Chamber of Deputies
Justicialist Party 39.74% 65 +3
Radical Civic Union 13.48% 19 −15
Alternative for a Republic of Equals 9.74% 11 +5
Recreate for Growth 4.02% 2 +1
Commitment to Change Front 3.88% 5 0
Buenos Aires Popular Front 3.86% 5 +5
Socialist Party 2.92% 3 +2
Federalist Action for Buenos Aires 2.76% 3 +1
New Front 2.61% 3 +3
Self-determination and Freedom 1.32% 2 0
Republican Force 0.80% 2 +1
Others 15.01% 9 −3
Senate
Justicialist Party 40.51% 12 +1
Radical Civic Union 15.60% 5 −3
Socialist Party 9.42% 1 +1
New Front 7.62% 1 +1
Republican Force 3.12% 2 +2
New Party 2.25% 1 +1
Front of Everyone (Corrientes) 2.74% 2 0
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 just 4 days before the planned runoff on 18 May, 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. As of 2023, this marked the last time that both the president-elect and vice president-elect ticket were both men.

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.[1] 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.[1]

For the first time since 1916, the UCR did not field a presidential candidate.[1] 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 24%), 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).[2][3] Rather than face a humiliating defeat, Menem withdrew from the runoff on May 14, a move that was roundly criticized by the other candidates.[4][3] 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%.[5]

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%.[6]

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.[6]

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 [lower-alpha 1]
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 [lower-alpha 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 [lower-alpha 3]
Corrientes Project 65,188 0.41 1 1
Civic and Social Front of Catamarca 63,415 0.40 2 [lower-alpha 4]
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 [lower-alpha 5]
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.[7]

District Elected Governor Party % Runner-up Party %
Buenos AiresFelipe SoláJusticialist43.3Luis PattiFederalist Unity Party13.3
CatamarcaEduardo Brizuela del MoralCivic Social Front (UCR)50.8Luis BarrionuevoJusticialist Front43.5
ChacoRoy NikischUCR53.4Jorge CapitanichFront for Victory40.9
ChubutMario das NevesJusticialist45.6José Lizurume LUCR41.2
City of Buenos Aires1Aníbal Ibarra RGreat Front53.5Mauricio MacriCommitment to Change46.5
CórdobaJosé Manuel de la Sota RJusticialist51.8Oscar AguadUCR37.2
Entre RíosJorge BustiJusticialist44.6Sergio VariscoSocial Front Alliance34.4
FormosaGildo Insfrán RJusticialist71.8Gabriel HernándezFront for All24.4
JujuyEduardo Fellner RJusticialist55.8Gerardo MoralesUCR35.2
La PampaCarlos VernaJusticialist49.1Francisco TorrobaAlternative Front25.5
La RiojaÁngel Maza RJusticialist55.4Jorge YomaWork and Production Front43.4
MendozaJulio CobosUCR42.9Guillermo AmstutzJusticialist35.7
MisionesCarlos Rovira RRenewal Front47.9Ramón PuertaJusticialist32.4
NeuquénJorge Sobisch RNeuquén People's Movement56.1Aldo DuzdevichJusticialist19.9
Río NegroMiguel SaizUCR32.6Julio ArriagaGreat Front20.4
SaltaJuan Carlos Romero RJusticialist49.7Andrés ZottosSalta Renewal Party24.4
San JuanJosé Luis GiojaJusticialist41.4Roberto BasualdoLife and Commitment Front30.8
San LuisAlberto Rodríguez SaáJusticialist90.1Marcelo ShortredeFatherland and Family Movement5.5
Santa CruzSergio AcevedoJusticialist70.9Anselmo MartínezConvergence for Santa Cruz27.9
Santa FeJorge ObeidJusticialist43.2Hermes BinnerSocialist Party38.3
Santiago del Estero2Mercedes Aragonés de Juárez RJusticialist68.1José Luis ZavalíaUCR13.0
Tierra del FuegoJorge ColazoUCR52.8Carlos Manfredotti LJusticialist47.2
TucumánJosé AlperovichJusticialist44.4Esteban JerezUnion for Tucumán25.8

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.

Notes

References

  1. 1 2 3 Fraga, Rosendo (2010). Fin de ciKlo: ascenso, apogeo y declinación del poder kirchnerista. Ediciones B. pp. 21–23.
  2. "Menem pierde el invicto y la fama". Página/12.
  3. 1 2 Uki Goñi (May 15, 2003). "Menem bows out of race for top job". The Guardian. Retrieved May 22, 2016.
  4. Todo Argentina: Kirchner (in Spanish)
  5. "Andy Tow's Electoral Atlas of Argentina". Archived from the original on 2011-05-24. Retrieved 2010-06-01.
  6. 1 2 Todo Argentina: 2003 (in Spanish)
  7. "Gobernador electo (2003)". Atlas Electoral de Andy Tow. Archived from the original on 2012-03-07. Retrieved 2012-06-22.

Results

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