Overview
- The Chaco Legislature approved a one-year suspension of the Primarias Abiertas, Simultáneas y Obligatorias (PASO) for the 2027 provincial elections, passing the measure 17-0 after most opposition deputies boycotted the session on September 2, 2026.
- Lawmakers tied the suspension to a fiscal argument, estimating savings of about ARS 4,000–5,000 million for 2027 and directing those funds to the Hospital Pediátrico Dr. Avelino Castelán for medicines, equipment and supplies.
- The vote depended on the decisive backing of deputy Katia Blanc, and hours later Governor Leandro Zdero met senior Casa Rosada officials, framing the provincial step as a show of support for the national reform push.
- The Chaco decision has revived debate in Buenos Aires over suspending or eliminating national PASO, but the Milei administration still needs an absolute majority of 37 senators to change the national law and currently controls 21 seats.
- Provinces are split on the issue: some jurisdictions have previously paused primaries and others, notably Mendoza, have publicly confirmed they will keep their own PASO, creating an uneven map that complicates any nationwide reform.