Plural Consensus
Encyclopedia
Plural Consensus is an Kirchnerist
electoral alliance in Argentina
acting as a political bloc in the Argentine Senate
and elsewhere.
The coalition is largely made up of members of the Radical Civic Union
, a group of smaller parties and dissident Socialist Party
members who support the governing Peronists led by President
Cristina Fernández de Kirchner
. Former President Néstor Kirchner
proposed the coalition as a new centre-left force in Argentine politics. http://www.clarin.com/diario/2006/12/18/um/m-01330273.htm The smaller parties originally included the Broad Front
, the Party of Victory, the Intransigent Party
and the Christian Democratic Party
.
The leading former Radical supporting the Kirchners was Julio Cobos
, who was elected Vice President. Having been expelled from the Radicals, he set up his own party, which eventually settled on the name ConFe (Federal Consensus). Formally, the bloc's two senators are Senator Dora Sánchez
of Corrientes Province
and Pablo Verani
of Río Negro Province
, both former Radicals. Other leading members of the concertation, often termed 'Radicales K', are governors Miguel Saiz
, Gerardo Zamora
and Arturo Colombi
and deputies such as Hugo Nelson Prieto. In the Chamber of Deputies
, a similar bloc of five deputies named 'Of the Concertation' (de la Concertación) exists, led by Prieto.
The 'Plural Consensus' tag has been widely used in the media to describe the non-Justicialist elements of the ruling coalition. By the time plans were advanced in formalising the coalition, disenchantment and defections had set in. In 2008, Kirchner began to form plans to take the leadership of the Justicialist Party
and reach an accommodation with those Justicialists who have opposed him, particularly the backers of Roberto Lavagna
. This 'normalization' of Peronist politics left some Kirchner supporters outside Justicialist ranks uneasy, in addition to the government's tough line in the conflict with the agricultural sector
. Some elements of the coalition began to peel away, notably Cobos who used his casting vote against the moves in the agricultural sector in the Senate and has since been shunned by the Kirchners.
The Radical leadership began preparations to reach out to the Radicales K.http://www.clarin.com/diario/2008/04/19/elpais/p-00901.htm In April 2009, the Radicals agreed to allow Cobos to rejoin at the end of his term as Vice-President, and ConFe is lining up agreements with them and the Civic Coalition
for the June elections.
Kirchnerism
Kirchnerism is a term used to refer to the political philosophy and supporters of Néstor Kirchner, president of Argentina from 2003 to 2007, and of his wife Cristina Fernández de Kirchner, President from 2007...
electoral alliance in Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
acting as a political bloc in the Argentine Senate
Argentine Senate
The Argentine Senate is the upper house of the Argentine National Congress. It has 72 senators: three for each province and three for the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires...
and elsewhere.
The coalition is largely made up of members of the Radical Civic Union
Radical Civic Union
The Radical Civic Union is a political party in Argentina. The party's positions on issues range from liberal to social democratic. The UCR is a member of the Socialist International. Founded in 1891 by radical liberals, it is the oldest political party active in Argentina...
, a group of smaller parties and dissident Socialist Party
Socialist Party (Argentina)
The Socialist Party is a social-democratic political party in Argentina. The history of socialism in Argentina began in the 1890s, when a group of people, notably Juan B. Justo, expressed the need for a greater social focus....
members who support the governing Peronists led by President
President of Argentina
The President of the Argentine Nation , usually known as the President of Argentina, is the head of state of Argentina. Under the national Constitution, the President is also the chief executive of the federal government and Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces.Through Argentine history, the...
Cristina Fernández de Kirchner
Cristina Fernández de Kirchner
Cristina Elisabet Fernández de Kirchner , commonly known as Cristina Fernández or Cristina Kirchner is the 55th and current President of Argentina and the widow of former President Néstor Kirchner. She is Argentina's first elected female president, and the second female president ever to serve...
. Former President Néstor Kirchner
Néstor Kirchner
Néstor Carlos Kirchner was an Argentine politician who served as the 54th President of Argentina from 25 May 2003 until 10 December 2007. Previously, he was Governor of Santa Cruz Province since 10 December 1991. He briefly served as Secretary General of the Union of South American Nations ...
proposed the coalition as a new centre-left force in Argentine politics. http://www.clarin.com/diario/2006/12/18/um/m-01330273.htm The smaller parties originally included the Broad Front
Broad Front
Broad Front may refer to:*Broad Front , Argentine political party*Broad Front , Paraguayan political party,...
, the Party of Victory, the Intransigent Party
Intransigent Party
The Intransigent Party is a political party in Argentina, founded in 1963 by Oscar Alende. Its membership came from the Intransigent Radical Civic Union , one of the two factions into which the Radical Civic Union had divided in 1956.The party has nationalist, populist, and center-left ideas...
and the Christian Democratic Party
Christian Democratic Party (Argentina)
The Christian Democratic Party is a Christian Democrat political party in Argentina.The Party was founded in 1954 after several other organisations had been active promoting Christian democracy in Argentina. Leading activists in its early years included José Allende and Horacio Sueldo...
.
The leading former Radical supporting the Kirchners was Julio Cobos
Julio Cobos
Julio César Cleto Cobos is an Argentine politician, currently serving as the Vice President of Argentina alongside President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner. He started his political career as member of the Radical Civic Union , becoming Governor of Mendoza in 2003...
, who was elected Vice President. Having been expelled from the Radicals, he set up his own party, which eventually settled on the name ConFe (Federal Consensus). Formally, the bloc's two senators are Senator Dora Sánchez
Dora Sánchez
María Dora "Anahí" Sánchez is a former Argentine Senator for Corrientes Province. She is a member of the Argentine Radical Civic Union and has led the local party organization at Mercedes since 1999....
of Corrientes Province
Corrientes Province
Corrientes is a province in northeast Argentina, in the Mesopotamia region. It is surrounded by : Paraguay, the province of Misiones, Brazil, Uruguay, and the provinces of Entre Rios, Santa Fe and Chaco.-History:...
and Pablo Verani
Pablo Verani
Pablo Federico Verani is an Argentine politician, formerly of the Radical Civic Union , from Río Negro Province, Argentina.-Life and times:...
of Río Negro Province
Río Negro Province
Río Negro is a province of Argentina, located at the northern edge of Patagonia. Neighboring provinces are from the south clockwise Chubut, Neuquén, Mendoza, La Pampa and Buenos Aires. To the east lies the Atlantic Ocean.Its capital is Viedma...
, both former Radicals. Other leading members of the concertation, often termed 'Radicales K', are governors Miguel Saiz
Miguel Saiz
Miguel Saiz is an Argentine politician latterly of the Radical Civic Union , currently serving as governor of Río Negro Province.Born in Montevideo, Uruguay, Saiz studied at the National University of Córdoba and became a lawyer...
, Gerardo Zamora
Gerardo Zamora
Gerardo Zamora is an Argentine politician from Santiago del Estero Province. since 2005, and is a member of the centrist Radical Civic Union ....
and Arturo Colombi
Arturo Colombi
Arturo Colombi is an Argentine Radical Civic Union politician, and former governor of Corrientes Province.Born in Mercedes, Corrientes, and educated at the National University of the Northeast with a degree in civil engineering, Colombi served as provincial Minister of Public Works in the...
and deputies such as Hugo Nelson Prieto. In the Chamber of Deputies
Argentine Chamber of Deputies
The Chamber of Deputies is the lower house of the Argentine National Congress. This Chamber holds exclusive rights to create taxes, to draft troops, and to accuse the President, the ministers and the members of the Supreme Court before the Senate....
, a similar bloc of five deputies named 'Of the Concertation' (de la Concertación) exists, led by Prieto.
The 'Plural Consensus' tag has been widely used in the media to describe the non-Justicialist elements of the ruling coalition. By the time plans were advanced in formalising the coalition, disenchantment and defections had set in. In 2008, Kirchner began to form plans to take the leadership of the Justicialist Party
Justicialist Party
The Justicialist Party , or PJ, is a Peronist political party in Argentina, and the largest component of the Peronist movement.The party was led by Néstor Kirchner, President of Argentina from 2003 to 2007, until his death on October 27, 2010. The current Argentine president, Cristina Fernández de...
and reach an accommodation with those Justicialists who have opposed him, particularly the backers of Roberto Lavagna
Roberto Lavagna
Roberto Lavagna is an Argentine economist and politician, and was the former Minister of Economy and Production of Argentina from April 27, 2002, to November 28, 2005.-Career:...
. This 'normalization' of Peronist politics left some Kirchner supporters outside Justicialist ranks uneasy, in addition to the government's tough line in the conflict with the agricultural sector
2008 Argentine government conflict with the agricultural sector
The 2008 Argentine government conflict with the agricultural sector started in March 2008, which then extended into a prolonged period of turbulent politics...
. Some elements of the coalition began to peel away, notably Cobos who used his casting vote against the moves in the agricultural sector in the Senate and has since been shunned by the Kirchners.
The Radical leadership began preparations to reach out to the Radicales K.http://www.clarin.com/diario/2008/04/19/elpais/p-00901.htm In April 2009, the Radicals agreed to allow Cobos to rejoin at the end of his term as Vice-President, and ConFe is lining up agreements with them and the Civic Coalition
Civic Coalition
The Civic Coalition is a political coalition in Argentina. It was founded by Elisa Carrió, as an association supported by the ARI party , as well as a number of other political groups and individual political leaders, notably Union for All of Patricia Bullrich and GEN - Generation for a National...
for the June elections.