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Éforo Study Weakens Fiscal Case for Scrapping Argentina’s PASO

The report shows only marginal savings from suspending the primaries and forces the Senate to confront contested changes to ballots and campaign rules.

Overview

  • Éforo found that suspending PASO in the 2025 legislative elections cut total public electoral spending by about 3%, roughly $14,478 million (about US$9.5 million), far below the government’s US$200 million claim.
  • Most of the modest savings were absorbed by record logistics bills from Correo Argentino, which charged about $225,113 million and accounted for roughly 48% of 2025’s electoral outlays.
  • The suspension reduced transfers for ballot printing, extraordinary campaign funds and security, but those cuts were nearly neutralized by higher logistics costs after Monday's Éforo report showed the detailed breakdown.
  • The executive’s wider reform package—now in the Senate—seeks to change the Boleta Única Papel system, alter campaign financing rules and create a 'Ficha Limpia' vetting rule, prompting opposition warnings that the moves have clear electoral stakes.
  • Analysts warn the electoral budget shows strong downward rigidity: ordinary party funding collapsed from about $35,000 million in 2015 to $402 million in 2025, the Boleta Única Papel cost was estimated at roughly $43,000 million (≈$52,000 million with VAT), and 2025 spending remained 58% higher in real terms than the last pre‑PASO legislature in 2009.