The Argentine government secured the necessary quorum to begin the Senate debate on labor reform with the help of allied parties, despite some notable absences.
On Wednesday, the Argentine government successfully achieved the quorum required to start discussions on the proposed labor reform in the Senate. This achievement came with the cooperation of allies from the PRO, UCR, and some federal parties. However, the session was marked by a few conspicuous absences among the senators, and some did not even register for the proceedings, which raised concerns about the participation of all involved parties.
The Senate session started at 11:13 AM, led by Victoria Villarruel, who appeared cheerful despite rumors indicating her dissatisfaction with being sidelined from negotiations with friendly opposition members. Parliament Secretary Agustín Giustinian was compelled to repeatedly urge senators to register as the quorum numbers remained stagnant at 34 for a prolonged period—just three senators short of what was needed to proceed. This led to speculation regarding the commitment of certain senators who failed to show up or register.
Ultimately, after persistent encouragement to participate, the number of registered senators increased, allowing the quorum to be reached with 38 present and 4 abstaining. The potential implications of this reform and the level of engagement among senators will likely shape the future of labor laws in Argentina, highlighting the dynamics of political alliances and the challenges of achieving consensus in the legislative process.
