MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Mid term election dates announced in Argentina

Argentina will be holding open, compulsory and simultaneous primary elections for the nomination of Deputies and Senate candidates next August 7.

Mid term legislative elections to renew all members of the Chamber of Deputies and a third of the Senate have been set for October 23, announced Thursday Interior Minister Anibal Fernandez.

The decree applies at federal level but Casa Rosada also invited all provincial governments to hold primaries on the same date, August 7.

Compulsory primary elections for the nomination of federal legislative candidates were introduced in Argentina in 2002.

Buenos Aires province, the most important electoral circumscription immediately announced in was adhering to the Executive's suggestion and one of the main leaders of the opposition from the Radical Party, Angel Rozas described the chosen date as "a good day" in line with our proposal "sent to the Ministry of Interior a week ago".

"There's only one problem, but we believe it can be easily overcome, which is related to the Vote Registry", added Mr. Rozas.

The ruling Peronist Party which supports President Nestor Kirchner has a comfortable majority in both houses and shouldn't have difficulties in retaining a working margin.

However Argentine analysts are looking to Buenos Aires province where an interesting race could take place between the wives of the two Peronist Party main leaders, President Kirchner and former President Eduardo Duhalde.

Hilda "Chiche" Duhalde, with the support of her husbands' formidable electoral structure in the province, has already been proclaimed as Senate candidate. Mrs. Kirchner, who is currently a Senator for Santa Cruz province but was born in Buenos Aires, could also run for a Senate seat in Buenos Aires.

Flamboyant Cristina Kirchner, a law professor, is described as a natural "vote winner" and opinion polls indicate she has chances wherever she decides to run.

But the mid term Senate dispute which will be decisive for the control of the crucial province of Buenos Aires is but the preamble of the premier race in 2007, when President Kirchner is expected to attempt re-election and Mr. Duhalde a possible comeback if political circumstances are favourable.