With the opposition absent, Cristina sent a political reform bill to the Congress

Without the opposition’s presence, President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner announced this afternoon the launch of a political reform to institutionalize the open, mandatory and simultaneous primaries, for the presidential candidates and party disputes.

It also aims to define the handling of the election propaganda on television. “We deeply believe in a parties system and in a law for all the political parties,” assured the president, who was accompanied by the chief of staff Anibal Fernandez, and the Interior Minister Florencio Randazzo.

The aim is to achieve a strong system of political parties, where the citizens feel engaged and responsible for who they vote, said Cristina. “The law aims to ensure equal visual spaces”.

Among other changes, the substantial changes promoted make reference to the primaries and the television advertising.

The law obliges all parties to conduct open, mandatory and simultaneous primaries to define all national elective positions (president, vice president, senators and deputies).

The president also asked the lawmakers to take the example in Uruguay and to promote “more colorful, fun and identifiable ballots”.

The project was a product of a round of meetings that raises a number of issues:

- Open and mandatory primaries on all candidates.

- Compulsory voting and one group vote.

- The withdrawal of collecting lists and mirror lists.

- The establishment of a number of votes to participate in the elections.

- The promotion of changes in the parties’ funding, the regulation of advertising on radio and TV.

- The prohibition of political parties hiring private advertising.

- The establishment of a 15 days electoral prohibition period.

- The prohibition of candidates who are being prosecuted for crimes of lesa humanity.