By Eliana Raszewski
BUENOS AIRES, April 22 (Reuters) – An electoral reform proposed by Argentina’s President Javier Milei would eliminate mandatory primary elections and further streamline the country’s political system, according to a draft of bill seen by Reuters on Wednesday.
Argentina’s mandatory primary elections, known as the PASO for their acronym in Spanish, in recent years have been criticized as being a costly poll of likely election outcomes rather than a necessary tool to pick candidates. At times their results have rattled markets.
The draft bill also proposes changes that would tighten party and candidate requirements, standardize ballots, and increase transparency in elections and financing.
The 29-page draft bill, for example, establishes prohibitions for the financing of political parties, such as funds from anonymous donations, from entities or individuals linked to gambling or foreign public entities and others.
Milei had said he would send the bill to Congress on Wednesday.
(Reporting by Eliana Raszewski; Writing by Brendan O’Boyle; Editing by Cassandra Garrison)
