MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Cristina Fernandez will not bid for presidency in 2015, ‘under no circumstances’

According to union leader Pignanelli, the Argentine president said that in 2015 she was ‘going home’

The head of a powerful union supportive of the Argentine government said that during the recent ‘social dialogue round’ held in Rio Gallegos with business and labour leaders President Cristina Fernandez affirmed with no margin of doubt that she will not be bidding for the presidency in 2015.

“We found a president, most mature who on the one hand said that under no circumstances she would be a candidate in 2015, and at the same stated she was determined to rectify all possible paths, as long as it can be done without affecting the model and not leaving to the next government all the problems which the government of Nestor Kirchner had to address”, said Ricardo Pignanelli head of the Auto transport mechanics union, Smata in an interview with the pro-government Pagina 12.

“She said that despite she’s leaving for home in two years time, she could not leave the country as they received it in 2003, and that she would be doing everything possible to improve the pending issues in the time left. However making clear all the time that there will be no change of course” added Pignanelli who went on to reveal other details of the round held in Rio Gallegos behind closed doors.

“We talked about the current situation of Argentina and the president invited all actors present at the round to speak up and give our opinions. The president made a very clear analysis of the electoral scenario, (following on the recent primaries vote), and said she was committed to an agenda of changes when possible and other pending challenges, but always insisting that there could be no changes to the current model”, continued the union leader.

Following the serious defeat during the recent primaries vote in early August, when three out of four votes did not support Cristina Fernandez and her candidates, she warned the select audience that her government has the to address the ‘political decision’ of increasing the income tax floor (devoured by inflation), and asked for suggestions of how to compensate the loss of revenue so the government could continue to face budget expenses.

According to other sources at the meeting Cristina Fernandez also admitted to talk about inflation, a taboo word for her administration, and did not discard that ‘it was close to 2’%. Business leaders did not insist on the ‘irritating’ issue.

The original plan of her closest aides was to have the Argentine constitutions reformed so that Cristina Fernandez could have another chance to the presidency in 2015, a most controversial issue. However for this plan it is essential that in next October’s mid term election the ruling party increases it numbers, and allies, in Congress to achieve a sufficient special majority to amend the constitution.

Under the current constitution the president can only be re-elected once completing eight years in two consecutive four-year mandates.

Despite her crushing victory in 2011 with 54% of the vote and thirty points ahead of her runner up, this time the odds based on what happened with the primaries do not forecast a favourable climate for the reform, at the most ‘lame-duck’ Cristina Fernandez will only be capable of keeping a working majority.