Cambiemos

Cambiemos was a centre-right political coalition in Argentina formed in 2015 to contest the national elections and to challenge the incumbent Peronist formations. It brought together prominent figures from Propuesta Republicana, Unión Cívica Radical, and Coalición Cívica ARI to present a unified ticket that ultimately elected Mauricio Macri to the Presidency of Argentina. The coalition influenced policymaking in the National Congress (Argentina), provincial gouvernements such as Buenos Aires Province, and municipal administrations including the City of Buenos Aires.

History

Cambiemos emerged from negotiations among leaders linked to Propuesta Republicana (PRO), such as Mauricio Macri and Horacio Rodríguez Larreta, with members of the Unión Cívica Radical including Ernesto Sanz and Julio Cobos, and figures from Coalición Cívica ARI like Elisa Carrió and María Eugenia Vidal. The coalition contested the 2015 presidential election against candidates from Partido Justicialista, notably Daniel Scioli and alliances connected to Cristina Fernández de Kirchner and Néstor Kirchner. Following the 2015 runoff election, the coalition formed a governing majority in several provinces including Córdoba Province where local alliances involved leaders like Juan Schiaretti in varied arrangements. Over its term, Cambiemos faced internal debates involving deputies such as Federico Pinedo and senators like Miguel Ángel Pichetto, while also interacting with international actors including delegations from United States business groups and counterparts from Spain and Brazil. By the 2019 election cycle the coalition's composition and branding shifted under pressures from opposition forces like Frente de Todos with figures such as Alberto Fernández and Cristina Fernández de Kirchner mounting a successful challenge.

Ideology and Platform

The coalition articulated policies appealing to markets and fiscal constituencies, drawing on intellectual currents associated with thinkers referenced in debates in Oxford University and programs coordinated with economic advisers who had ties to Harvard University and Columbia University. Policy proposals emphasized reform packages reminiscent of programs debated in International Monetary Fund negotiations, with commitments to fiscal adjustment discussed in venues including the World Economic Forum and meetings with delegations from Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency. Key roster advisors included economists linked to institutions like Banco Mundial and financial actors from JPMorgan Chase and Goldman Sachs who advised on debt restructuring modeled after cases such as Greece and Portugal. The platform appealed to constituencies in urban centers like Buenos Aires and Rosario and to provincial elites in areas such as Mendoza Province and Santa Fe Province with messaging comparable to campaigns by center-right parties like Partido Popular (Spain) and Conservative Party (UK).

Member Parties and Organization

The principal components were Propuesta Republicana, Unión Cívica Radical, and Coalición Cívica ARI, coordinated via national committees and provincial chapters in jurisdictions including Buenos Aires Province, City of Buenos Aires, Mendoza Province, Salta Province, Jujuy Province, Neuquén Province, Río Negro Province, Chubut Province, and Tucumán Province. Prominent officeholders from the coalition included María Eugenia Vidal as governor of Buenos Aires Province, Horacio Rodríguez Larreta as chief of government of the City of Buenos Aires, and ministers such as Nicolás Dujovne in economic portfolios and Patricia Bullrich in security-related posts. Organizational links extended to civil society groups like Civic Coalition, think tanks akin to Wilson Center affiliates, and business chambers such as Cámara de Comercio de Estados Unidos en Argentina and provincial chambers in Córdoba and Mendoza. Electoral lists were negotiated among party leaders including Alfredo Cornejo, Mario Negri, Rogelio Frigerio, Laura Alonso, Gustavo Santos, Esteban Bullrich, Federico Pinedo, Ricardo López Murphy, and Diego Santilli.

Electoral Performance

In the 2015 presidential election the coalition's ticket of Mauricio Macri and running mate Gabriela Michetti defeated the Partido Justicialista candidate in a runoff, transforming parliamentary dynamics in the Argentine Chamber of Deputies and the Argentine Senate. Provincial contests saw victories in Buenos Aires Province with María Eugenia Vidal defeating candidates supported by Cristina Fernández de Kirchner and allied lists in the Partido Justicialista. The coalition performed strongly in urban districts including the City of Buenos Aires, Córdoba City, and Mendoza City, while facing setbacks in northern provinces like Formosa Province and Santiago del Estero Province. Legislative midterms in 2017 enabled Cambiemos to expand representation through coalitions with provincial parties such as Partido Bloquista and Partido Socialista splinters, boosting numbers among deputies like Frente Renovador defectors and senators who caucused with the administration. In 2019 the presidential ticket led by Mauricio Macri lost to Alberto Fernández and Cristina Fernández de Kirchner, and the coalition's national scope was reshaped in subsequent provincial elections.

Government Policies and Legacy

During its administration the coalition implemented measures on fiscal policy managed by ministers like Nicolás Dujovne and Luis Caputo, negotiated with creditors including Bondholders groups and intermediaries from Goldman Sachs and BlackRock. Trade and investment initiatives sought rapprochement with markets in United States, European Union, China, and Brazil, while infrastructure programs involved provincial administrations in Buenos Aires Province and projects financed by multilateral lenders such as the Inter-American Development Bank and World Bank. Security policies under officials such as Patricia Bullrich reformed policing in jurisdictions like City of Buenos Aires and coordinated with provincial ministers of security including counterparts from Santa Fe Province and Mendoza Province. The administration faced economic challenges tied to currency crises similar to episodes in Mexico and Brazil and negotiated an extended program with the International Monetary Fund that prompted debate among oppositional blocs including Frente de Todos and social movements associated with Movimiento Evita and Ate. Critics linked to unions such as Confederación General del Trabajo (CGT) and civic organizations including Movimiento Barrios de Pie contested austerity measures and labour reforms. The coalition's legacy influenced subsequent alignments in Argentine politics, prompting reconfigurations involving leaders like Horacio Rodríguez Larreta, María Eugenia Vidal, Miguel Ángel Pichetto, Patricia Bullrich, and factions of Unión Cívica Radical in the post-2019 era.

Category:Politics of Argentina