1989 Argentine general election

1989 Argentine general election
	Presidential election
600 members of the Electoral College; 301 votes needed to win
Registered	20,034,252
Turnout	85.31%
	Percentage of votes (left) and electoral votes (right) by province.
President before election; Raúl Alfonsín; UCR	Elected President ; Carlos Menem; PJ
	Legislative election
	127 of 254 seats in the Chamber of Deputies
Turnout	85.31%
Chamber of Deputies
	Results by province

The Argentine general election of 1989 was held on 14 May 1989. Voters chose both the President and their legislators and with a turnout of 85.3%, Carlos Menem won the presidency, and the Peronist Justicialist Party won the control of both houses of Congress. This is the last presidential election the president was elected by the electoral college.

Background

Inheriting a difficult legacy from his military predecessors, President Raúl Alfonsín's tenure had been practically defined by the foreign debt Argentina's last dictatorship left behind. Signs of unraveling in Alfonsín's 1985 Austral Plan for economic stabilization cost his centrist Radical Civic Union (UCR) its majorities in the Chamber of Deputies (lower house of Congress) and among the nation's 22 governorships in the September 1987 mid-term elections. Facing a restive armed forces opposed to trials against past human rights abuses and mounting inflation, the president brought elections forward five months, now scheduled for May 14, 1989. Both major parties held national conventions in May 1988. The UCR nominated Córdoba Governor Eduardo Angeloz, a safe, centrist choice and the most prominent UCR figure not closely tied to the unpopular President Alfonsín. In an upset, however, Carlos Menem, governor of the remote and thinly populated La Rioja Province, wrested the Justicialist Party nomination from the odds-on candidate, Buenos Aires Province Governor Antonio Cafiero, a policy maker close to the Justicialists' founder, the late Juan Perón. Cafiero's defeat resulted largely from CGT trade union opposition to his Peronist Renewal faction; Alfonsín's top political adviser, Interior Minister Enrique Nosiglia, in turn saw Menem's flamboyance as an opportunity for the struggling UCR.

The Justicialists (Peronists) took a sizable lead in polling early on, however, even as nearly half the voters remained undecided. Hoping to translate this into a UCR victory over the outspoken and eccentric Menem, President Alfonsín enacted an August 1988 "Springtime Plan" in a bid for lower inflation (then running at 27% monthly). The plan, criticized as a rehashed "Austral Plan" by the CGT, called for budget cuts and renewed wage freezes - policies they blamed for sliding living standards. Initially successful, a record drought late in the year buffeted critical export earnings and led to rolling blackouts, dissipating any gains Angeloz might have made from the "relief" of 6% monthly inflation.

A perennial third-party candidate, conservative economist Álvaro Alsogaray, made gains following the January 1989 assault by Trotskyist militants on the La Tablada Barracks, west of Buenos Aires. Twice minister of the economy and remembered for his belief that the economy must go through "winter," the unpopular Alsogaray ran on a free market platform, calling for mass privatizations and deep cuts in social spending (amid 30% poverty). Angeloz took the controversial decision of including social spending cuts in the UCR platform, as well, earning the right-wing Federal Party's endorsement; but alienating many others (particularly pensioners, among whom Alfonsín had won decisively in 1983). The largely civil campaign became increasingly a debate between the Justicialist nominee and the president, himself; Angeloz, the UCR nominee, remained "presidential" during the frequent exchanges of innuendo between Alfonsín and Menem.

Following a sharp drop in Central Bank reserves, the austral fell around 29% to the U.S. dollar in heavy trading on "black Tuesday," February 7. The sudden drop in the austral's value threatened the nation's tenuous financial stability and, later that month, the World Bank recalled a large tranche of a loan package agreed on in 1988, sending the austral into a tailspin: trading at 17 to the dollar in January, the dollar quoted at over 100 australes by election day, May 14. Inflation, which had been held to the 5-10% monthly range as late as February, rose to 78.5% in May, shattering records and leading to a landslide victory for the Peronists. Polling revealed that economic anxieties were paramount among two-thirds of voters and Menem won in 19 of 22 provinces, while losing in the traditionally anti-Peronist Federal District (Buenos Aires).

The nation's finances did not stabilize after the election, as hoped. The austral halved to the dollar next week, alone, and on May 29, riots broke out in the poorer outskirts of a number of cities. Having declared his intention to stay on until inaugural day, December 10, these events and spiraling financial chaos led Alfonsín to transfer power to President-elect Menem five months early, on July 8. When Menem accepted the presidential sash from Alfonsín, it marked the first time since 1916 that an incumbent government peacefully transferred power to the opposition.^[1]

Electoral system

Both the president and vice president were elected indirectly by the Electoral College composed by 600 members. The allocation of electoral votes by province was done in proportion to the percentage of votes that the candidate received in that province, utilizing the D'Hondt method.

The legislature was elected through proportional representation.

Candidates for presidency

Justicialist Party (Peronist, populist): Governor Carlos Menem of La Rioja Province
Radical Civic Union (Center-left, social liberal): Governor Eduardo Angeloz of Córdoba Province
Union of the Democratic Centre (Center-right, conservative liberal): Deputy Alvaro Alsogaray of the City of Buenos Aires

Results

President

Presidential candidate	Vice Presidential candidate	Party		Popular vote		Electoral vote
Presidential candidate	Vice Presidential candidate	Party		Votes	%	Votes	%
Carlos Menem	Eduardo Duhalde		Total Menem - Duhalde	7,957,518	47.51	312	52.00
			Justicialist Front of Popular Unity (FREJUPO)	7,841,028	46.81	305	50.83
			Renewal Current	113,163	0.68	7	1.17
			Labor and People's Party (PTP)	2,770	0.02
			Integration and Development Movement (MID)	557	0.00
Eduardo Angeloz	Juan Manuel Casella		Total Angeloz - Casella	5,434,049	32.44	213	35.50
			Radical Civic Union (UCR)	5,162,574	30.82	198	33.00
			UCR - Independent Federalist Confederation	220,505	1.32	9	1.50
			UCR - Mobilization - Catamarca Popular Movement	50,970	0.30	6	1.00
Álvaro Alsogaray	Alberto Natale		Total Alsogaray - Natale	1,200,172	7.17	33	6.50
			Center Alliance	1,042,984	6.23	28	4.67
			Autonomist - Liberal - PDP - Popular Liberation Movement	106,774	0.64	5	0.83
			Union of the Democratic Centre (UCeDe)	49,767	0.30
			Democratic Progressive Party (PDP)	647	0.00
Eduardo Angeloz	María Cristina Guzmán		Total Angeloz - Guzmán	779,168	4.66	21	3.50
			Independent Federalist Confederation (CFI)	675,101	4.03	21	3.50
			Independent Federalist Confederation - Federal Party	93,013	0.56
			Federal Party (PF)	11,054	0.07
Néstor Vicente	Luis Zamora		United Left (IU)	409,250	2.44	1	0.17
José Corzo Gómez	Federico Houssay		Retirees Target Party (PBJ)	315,600	1.88	7	1.17
Guillermo Estévez Boero	Alfredo Bravo		Total Estévez Boero - Bravo	240,132	1.43
			Socialist Unity (US)	218,950	1.31
			Popular Socialist Party (PSP)	15,836	0.09
			Socialist Party (PS)	3,600	0.02
			Democratic Socialist Party (PSD)	1,746	0.01
Antonio Domingo Bussi	Antonio Álvarez		Republican Force (FR)	185,036	1.10	7	1.17
Jorge Altamira	Gregorio Flores		Workers' Party (PO)	45,763	0.27
Luis Alberto Ammann	Lía Méndez		Humanist - Green Front	42,316	0.25
No candidates			Neuquén People's Movement (MPN)	35,466	0.21	4	0.67
			Blockist Alliance	27,004	0.16	1	0.17
			Chaco Action (ACHA)	19,831	0.12	1	0.17
			Renewal Crusade (CR)	11,236	0.07
Ángel Bustelo	Eduardo Hernández		Total Bustelo - Hernández	10,157	0.06
			Popular Action	4,773	0.03
			Liberation Socialist Workers' Party (PSOL)	2,715	0.02
			Anti-Imperialist Popular Democratic Movement (MODEPA)	1,345	0.01
			Popular Accord	1,324	0.01
No candidates			Renewal Unit Movement (MUR)	7,661	0.05
			Blue, Loyalty, Restoration	7,287	0.04
			Independence Party	4,083	0.02
			Democratic Party of Jujuy	2,487	0.01
			Retirees Party	2,340	0.01
			Liberal Democratic Party - Provincial Popular Movement	2,327	0.01
Mario Hugo Geller	Elisa Delboy		Liberation Party	1,851	0.01
No candidates			Renewal Front	1,281	0.01
			Tradition and Coherence	1,181	0.01
			Social Justice	1,147	0.01
			Autonomist Union Front	973	0.01
			Provincial Union	966	0.01
			Provincial Action	838	0.01
			Provincial Defense - White Flag	651	0.00
			Fueguino People's Movement (MOPOF)	472	0.00
			Nationalist Movement	245	0.00
			Populist Unification	243	0.00
			Authentic Socialist Party (PSA)	216	0.00
			Authentic Formosa Party	181	0.00
Total				16,749,128	100

Positive votes				16,749,128	98.00
Blank votes				222,048	1.30
Invalid votes				116,049	0.68
Tally sheet differences				4,395	0.02
Total votes				17,091,620	100
Registered voters/turnout				20,034,252	85.31
Sources:^[2]^[3]

Chamber of Deputies

Party		Votes	%	Seats won	Total seats
	Justicialist Front of Popular Unity (FREJUPO)	7,460,488	44.82	66	127
	Radical Civic Union (UCR)	4,865,835	29.23	42	93
	Center Alliance	1,796,271	10.79	10	18
	Independent Federalist Confederation (CFI)	565,080	3.39	3	5
	United Left (IU)	580,943	3.49	1	1
	Socialist Unity (US)	451,177	2.71	—	1
	Retirees Target Party (PBJ)	301,101	1.81	1	1
	Republican Force (FR)	213,957	1.29	2	2
	Renewal Crusade (CR)	87,273	0.52	1	1
	Workers' Party (PO)	53,671	0.32	—	—
	Humanist - Green Front	49,491	0.30	—	—
	Neuquén People's Movement (MPN)	49,070	0.29	1	2
	Chaco Action (ACHA)	45,298	0.27	—	—
	Blockist Alliance	39,171	0.24	—	1
	Río Negro Provincial Party (PPR)	22,331	0.13	—	1
	Renewal Unit Movement (MUR)	9,027	0.05	—	—
	Blue, Loyalty, Restoration	7,638	0.05	—	—
	Liberal Democratic Party - Provincial Popular Movement	7,359	0.04	—	—
	Social Justice	5,878	0.04	—	—
	Renewal Front	4,770	0.03	—	—
	Independence Party	4,749	0.03	—	—
	Popular Accord	9,549	0.06	—	—
	Democratic Party of Jujuy	2,544	0.02	—	—
	Fueguino People's Movement (MOPOF)	2,309	0.01	—	—
	Liberation Party (PL)	1,944	0.01	—	—
	Christian Democratic Party (PDC)	1,831	0.01	—	—
	Authentic Socialist Party (PSA)	1,666	0.01	—	—
	Tradition and Coherence	1,426	0.01	—	—
	Autonomist Union Front	1,149	0.01	—	—
	Provincial Union	1,002	0.01	—	—
	Provincial Defense - White Flag (DP-BB)	816	0.00	—	1
	Nationalist Movement	418	0.00	—	—
	Authentic Formosa Party	246	0.00	—	—
	Emancipatory Front	38	0.00	—	—
Total		16,645,516	100	127	254

Positive votes		16,645,516	97.39
Blank votes		307,578	1.80
Invalid votes		99,482	0.58
Tally sheet differences		39,544	0.23
Total votes		17,092,120	100
Registered voters/turnout		20,034,252	85.31
Sources:^[4]^[3]

Results by province

Province	FREJUPO			UCR			Center Alliance			CFI			Others
Province	Votes	%	Seats	Votes	%	Seats	Votes	%	Seats	Votes	%	Seats	Votes	%	Seats
Buenos Aires	3,042,080	48.37	19	1,655,591	26.32	10	630,163	10.02	4	190,445	3.03	—	770,828	12.25	2
Buenos Aires City	641,767	31.51	5	580,197	28.49	4	449,822	22.09	3	146,540	7.19	1	218,392	10.73	—
Catamarca	68,098	54.23	2	51,285	40.84	1	1,257	1.00	—	—	—	—	4,924	3.92	—
Chaco	190,605	49.17	2	133,986	34.56	2	6,713	1.73	—	1,651	0.43	—	54,685	14.10	—
Chubut	54,583	38.48	1	39,815	28.07	1	9,681	6.82	—	25,516	17.99	—	12,257	8.64	—
Córdoba	664,858	43.37	4	669,338	43.67	5	120,759	7.88	—	—	—	—	77,905	5.08	—
Corrientes	120,807	32.58	1	89,798	24.22	1	151,613	40.89	1	3,371	0.91	—	5,184	1.40	—
Entre Ríos	283,517	50.49	3	208,634	37.15	2	46,864	8.34	—	—	—	—	22,567	4.02	—
Formosa	93,949	58.46	1	63,155	39.30	1	2,000	1.24	—	—	—	—	1,589	0.99	—
Jujuy	84,266	41.75	2	31,687	15.70	—	2,734	1.35	—	41,724	20.67	1	41,407	20.52	—
La Pampa	73,413	51.11	2	53,144	37.00	1	7,488	5.21	—	2,799	1.95	—	6,802	4.73	—
La Rioja	69,062	67.14	2	29,406	28.59	—	1,315	1.28	—	16	0.02	—	3,062	2.97	—
Mendoza	291,673	42.04	2	203,392	29.31	2	141,237	20.36	1	3,494	0.50	—	54,048	7.79	—
Misiones	162,361	52.21	2	115,401	37.11	1	20,080	6.46	—	7,158	2.30	—	5,965	1.92	—
Neuquén	54,347	36.47	1	35,600	23.89	1	4,815	3.23	—	—	—	—	54,276	36.42	1
Río Negro	85,129	42.95	1	71,968	36.31	1	9,799	4.94	—	—	—	—	31,322	15.80	—
Salta	154,116	42.66	1	91,225	25.25	1	7,647	2.12	—	88,294	24.44	1	20,005	5.54	—
San Juan	64,740	24.47	1	48,174	18.21	1	18,749	7.09	—	—	—	—	132,857	50.23	1
San Luis	66,337	48.34	2	52,564	38.30	1	5,201	3.79	—	—	—	—	13,129	9.57	—
Santa Cruz	32,933	52.94	2	23,964	38.52	1	3,102	4.99	—	—	—	—	2,207	3.55	—
Santa Fe	740,538	48.01	5	438,268	28.41	3	144,393	9.36	1	14,494	0.94	—	204,834	13.28	—
Santiago del Estero	195,471	65.49	2	87,920	29.46	1	2,394	0.80	—	3,219	1.08	—	9,469	3.17	—
Tierra del Fuego	10,989	39.51	1	8,444	30.36	1	2,023	7.27	—	318	1.14	—	6,039	21.72	—
Tucumán	214,849	39.47	2	82,879	15.23	—	6,422	1.18	—	36,041	6.62	—	204,089	37.50	2
Total	7,460,488	44.82	66	4,865,835	29.23	42	1,796,271	10.79	10	565,080	3.39	3	1,957,842	11.77	6

Notes

^ Todo Argentina
^ "Recorriendo las Elecciones de 1983 a 2013 - Presidenciales". Dirección Nacional Electoral. Archived from the original on 2017-09-26. Retrieved 2017-09-25.
^ ^a ^b "Elecciones Nacionales ESCRUTINIO DEFINITIVO 1989" (PDF). Ministry of the Interior. Archived from the original (PDF) on 30 March 2018.
^ "Recorriendo las Elecciones de 1983 a 2013 - Diputados Nacionales". Dirección Nacional Electoral. Archived from the original on 2019-09-17. Retrieved 2020-12-16.

[1] Todo Argentina

[2] "Recorriendo las Elecciones de 1983 a 2013 - Presidenciales". Dirección Nacional Electoral. Archived from the original on 2017-09-26. Retrieved 2017-09-25.

[results-3] "Elecciones Nacionales ESCRUTINIO DEFINITIVO 1989" (PDF). Ministry of the Interior. Archived from the original (PDF) on 30 March 2018.

[4] "Recorriendo las Elecciones de 1983 a 2013 - Diputados Nacionales". Dirección Nacional Electoral. Archived from the original on 2019-09-17. Retrieved 2020-12-16.

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

v t e Elections and referendums in Argentina
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Provincial elections	... 1912 1913 1914 1915 1916 1917 1918 1919 1920 1921 1922 1923 1924 1925 1926 1927 1928 1929 1930 1931 1934 1935 1936 1937 1938 1939 1940 1941 1942 1943 1946 1948 1949 1950 1951 1953 1955 1958 1960 1961 1962 1963 1966 1973 1975 1983 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2011 2013 2015 2017 2019 2021 2023
Constituent Assemblies	1866 1898 1948 1957 1994
Referendums	1984
* Elected by the provincial legislature