President Javier Milei’s government has again pushed back debate for its sweeping ‘Omnibus Law’ and expects the lower house Chamber of Deputies to begin dealing with it on Wednesday.
Milei’s bill, which also seeks to privatise dozens of companies and expand his executive powers on economic matters, narrowly passed three congressional committees last week.
However, the ruling party caucus has delayed its debate and last Friday, Economy Minister Luis Caputo announced the government would pull its fiscal chapter in order to smooth the deregulation package.
The bill’s fiscal chapter, which Caputo said would be removed entirely, included tax hikes on major exports such as soy derivatives, grains and corn. The government is also leaving out a planned reformulation of pensions, and an income tax increase.
With the tax chapter out of the way, the government is confident the bill – formally known as the "Ley de Bases y Puntos de Partida para La Libertad de los Argentinos" – will make it past the finish line in Congress. The Executive had reached a “clear consensus” on its most important parts, Caputo said on Friday.
The lower house was expected to open debate this coming Tuesday, but the government now wants to hold a special parliamentary meeting on that day to organise and “order” the session, before opening debate at 10am on Wednesday morning.
Government sources cited by the Télam state news agency say that the ruling party expects the debate to take around 40 hours.
News of the postponement was disclosed as negotiations continue between the ruling party and the lower house caucuses that are open to dialogue.
The request for a special session is likely to be made by ruling party deputies Oscar Zago, Lorena Villaverde, Lisandro Almirón, Cecilia Ibáñez, Gabriel Bornoroni, Rocío Bonacci, Lilia Lemoine, Nicolás Emma, Juliana Santillán, Nicolás Mayoraz and César Trefinger, reported Perfil.
Looking ahead to Tuesday’s meeting, contact is expected to be happen imminently between the president of the Chamber of Deputies, Martín Menem, and the presidents of the PRO, Radical, Hacemos Coalición Federal and Innovación blocs.
Because it has nowhere near a majority on its own, La Libertad Avanza must have an agreement closed with blocs open to dialogue before going to the house if it is to achieve the necessary quorum of 129 to open sessions.
Delays are due to the doubts still remaining among some opposition lawmakers.
– TIMES/NA/PERFIL
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