Buenos Aires, Argentina – Cristina Fernández de Kirchner, the former vice president of Argentina and a longtime power broker within the country’s Peronist political movement, has announced that she will run for president of the party, now called the Justice Party.
The announcement comes at a crucial time for Fernández de Kirchner. Some Peronist leaders had hoped her power within the party would wane because of poor decision-making during her last term as Argentina’s vice president. But a recent surge in the polls – likely fueled by the country’s current economic crisis – could put him at the top of the Justice Party leadership.
Regardless, she still faces opposition from powerful party figures, including Ricardo Quintela, the governor of La Rioja province, who has confirmed his candidacy for party president, as well as Buenos Aires province governor Axel Kicilof, who who has ever faced Fernández de Kirchner’s son and has yet to publicly comment on her candidacy.
“I am ready, once again, to accept the challenge of the debate in unity,” Fernández de Kirchner said in X on October 7. “Nobody is redundant here. Unity needs direction and a project to build the best possible Peronism, in an Argentina that has become impossible for most of its inhabitants.”
Fernández de Kirchner’s announcement received initial support from her most loyal base, mainly mayors of cities in Buenos Aires province where she is most popular, including Mayra Mendoza of Quilmes and Federico Otermín of Lomas de Zamora. However, she still faces an uphill battle to convince most Peronists, especially those who rule over the largest provinces.
Quintela, who was the first member of the Justice Party to announce his candidacy for party leadership, did not back down after Fernández de Kirchner’s announcement.
“I also want to debate in unity,” said Quintela in X. “Like Cristina, I believe that no one is superfluous and my project aims to lead in unity, united by all… To all partners of in the Justice Party: I will continue to meet face to face with you in every corner of the country.”
For two decades, Fernández de Kirchner has been one of the most influential figures in the Peronist movement and Argentine politics. Her husband, Néstor Kirchner, served as president from 2003 to 2007, and she served two consecutive terms as president from 2007 to 2015. She most recently served as vice president under Alberto Fernández and after a severe economic crisis during the administration his, chose not to run in last year’s general election, in which libertarian Javier Milei was elected.
While she remains the most popular figure in the Justice Party and performs best in national polls, her popularity has fallen from the heights of her two terms as president. Moreover, unilateral decisions – such as the appointment of Alberto Fernández as president without any internal debate – have alienated him from some members of the Justice Party.
Another factor is also the potential shift in the balance of power within the party. This month, Argentina’s Congress passed a bill to update the country’s voting system, which provides for a single paper ballot with each listed party, instead of the traditional paper ballot issued for each political party. The change gives more power to governors and local mayors to choose nominees for legislative posts and to broker political deals with national party leaders – such as Fernández de Kirchner.
Analysts believe the new ballots play a role in the silence of provincial politicians so far on Fernández de Kirchner’s candidacy for party president. While her team believes they can convince Quintela to back her, she still faces potential opposition in the country’s largest province, Buenos Aires, where Governor Kicilof is currently engaged in political conflicts with Fernández de Kirchner’s son. , Congressman Máximo Kirchner, on party control. in the province.
Until now, Kicilof has remained silent on Fernández de Kirchner’s bid for party president. Some supporters of the former vice president expect the governor to step down and accept her role as political royalty. Kicilof is expected to speak at a rally on October 17 to honor Loyalty Day, a major holiday for Peronists, and the content of the speech could provide clues as to whether he will decide to uphold the party’s legacy or move in a different direction. .
