Argentine Constitutional Assembly election, 1957
Encyclopedia
The Argentine Constitutional Assembly election of 1957 was held on 28 July. Voters chose delegates to the assembly, and with a turnout of 90.1%, it produced the following results:
Constitutional assembly
that violently deposed Argentina's populist President Juan Perón
in September 1955, and despite the pressure against it, General Eduardo Lonardi
's catchphrase became government policy in October: he negotiated personally with Perón's chief supporters, the 2.5 million-member CGT
labor union, and formed the Civilian Advisory Council.
Facing conservative opposition to his moderate approach to "de-perónization," as well as terminal illness, Lonardi lost his battle with both; replaced in November, he died the following March. His successor, General Pedro Aramburu, jailed 9,000 CGT leaders within days (banning them from politics) and enacted restrictions such as the ban of the fugitive dictators mere name. Instability and a coup attempt
conributed to a rollback in this momentum, however, and in July, Aramburu announced elections for a constitutional assembly
to be convened for the purpose of restoring the 1853 Argentine Constitution (which Perón had replaced in 1949).
The announcement was not without controversy, however. The centrist UCR, the dominant party following the Peronists' ban, was opposed to convening the assembly before the restoration of democracy (when the UCR would almost certainly be in power). One front runner, Arturo Frondizi
, believed it to be Aramburu's attempt to forestall elections, and the more conservative Ricardo Balbín
feared it could boost Argentina's myriad, smaller parties - potentially complicating the UCR's ability to govern.
Aramburu's more reactionary colleagues in the military favored a far slower timetable towards elections, but were reluctant to challenge him. The UCR's November 1956 convention in Tucumán was marked by acrimony over relationships with the military and with peronists, and it resulted in the party's division. Balbín continued to lead the party's mainstream (as the UCR-P), while the less anti-peronist faction formed the UCRI - led by Oscar Alende
and Balbín's 1951 running mate, Arturo Frondizi
.
The two UCR factions competed not only with each other, but also with the many, smaller parties. One of the most prominent, the Socialist Party of Argentina, suffered from its own internal divisions. Américo Ghioldi
led those who supported retribution for the harassment that had been inflicted on them during Perón's rule, while Alfredo Palacios
and led those who opposed such action. The elections - the first since Perón's deposal - were narrowly "won" by blank votes: Voters cast about 2,116,000 of these, besting the UCR-P's total by 10,000 and resulting in one of the highest such incidences (25%) in Argentine electoral history.
Ultimately, the narrowly-divided convention in Santa Fe
resulted in deadlock when the UCRI walked out over the imminent reinsertion of Perón's Constitutional Article 40 (which nationalized energy resources). His Article 14 - which included social guarantees - was approved, however, before the assembly was adjourned after two months, on November 14.
Constitutional assemblyConstitutional AssemblyThe Constitutional Assembly was a body elected in 1955 to draw up a permanent constitution for the Republic of Indonesia. It sat between November 10, 1956 and July 2, 1959...
| Party/Electoral Alliance | Seats | % of votes |
|---|---|---|
| UCRI | 77 | 28.2% |
| UCR-P Radical Civic Union The Radical Civic Union is a political party in Argentina. The party's positions on issues range from liberal to social democratic. The UCR is a member of the Socialist International. Founded in 1891 by radical liberals, it is the oldest political party active in Argentina... |
75 | 32.2% |
| Centrist Federation (led by Democratic Party Democratic Party (Mendoza) The Democratic Party of Mendoza is a provincial conservative party in Mendoza Province, Argentina. It was founded around 1930.Since the return of the democracy in 1983, the party has been the third political force in Mendoza, except in 1999 when it won the second position in the elections.It is a... ) (Mendoza Province Mendoza Province The Province of Mendoza is a province of Argentina, located in the western central part of the country in the Cuyo region. It borders to the north with San Juan, the south with La Pampa and Neuquén, the east with San Luis, and to the west with the republic of Chile; the international limit is... ) |
15 | 8.1% |
| Socialist | 12 | 8.0% |
| Christian Democratic Christian Democratic Party (Argentina) The Christian Democratic Party is a Christian Democrat political party in Argentina.The Party was founded in 1954 after several other organisations had been active promoting Christian democracy in Argentina. Leading activists in its early years included José Allende and Horacio Sueldo... |
8 | 6.4% |
| PDP Democratic Progressive Party (Argentina) The Democratic Progressive Party is a provincial political party in Santa Fe, Argentina. It was founded by Lisandro de la Torre at the Savoy Hotel in Buenos Aires on December 14, 1914. One of its founders was the academic Dr... |
5 | 4.0% |
| Communist Communist Party of Argentina The Communist Party of Argentina is a communist party from Argentina. It was founded in 1918.At the 2005 legislative elections, the Party joined the Encuentro Amplio with other left-wing parties in Buenos Aires and Buenos Aires Province... |
3 | 3.5% |
| Others | 10 | 9.6% |
| Invalid votes | 24.7% | |
| Total | 205 | 100.0% |
Background
Neither victors, nor vanquished were to emerge from the "Liberating Revolution"Revolución Libertadora
The Revolución Libertadora was a military uprising that ended the second presidential term of Juan Perón in Argentina, on September 16, 1955.-History:...
that violently deposed Argentina's populist President Juan Perón
Juan Perón
Juan Domingo Perón was an Argentine military officer, and politician. Perón was three times elected as President of Argentina though he only managed to serve one full term, after serving in several government positions, including the Secretary of Labor and the Vice Presidency...
in September 1955, and despite the pressure against it, General Eduardo Lonardi
Eduardo Lonardi
Eduardo A. Lonardi Doucet served as de facto president of Argentina from September 23, 1955 until November 13, 1955.-Biography:He was born on September 15, 1896....
's catchphrase became government policy in October: he negotiated personally with Perón's chief supporters, the 2.5 million-member CGT
General Confederation of Labour (Argentina)
The General Confederation of Labour of the Argentine Republic is a national trade union centre of Argentina founded on September 27, 1930, as the result of the merge of the USA and the COA trade union centres...
labor union, and formed the Civilian Advisory Council.
Facing conservative opposition to his moderate approach to "de-perónization," as well as terminal illness, Lonardi lost his battle with both; replaced in November, he died the following March. His successor, General Pedro Aramburu, jailed 9,000 CGT leaders within days (banning them from politics) and enacted restrictions such as the ban of the fugitive dictators mere name. Instability and a coup attempt
Juan José Valle
Juan José Valle was an Argentine military who headed a rebellion in 1956 against General Aramburu's dictatorship....
conributed to a rollback in this momentum, however, and in July, Aramburu announced elections for a constitutional assembly
Constitutional Assembly
The Constitutional Assembly was a body elected in 1955 to draw up a permanent constitution for the Republic of Indonesia. It sat between November 10, 1956 and July 2, 1959...
to be convened for the purpose of restoring the 1853 Argentine Constitution (which Perón had replaced in 1949).
The announcement was not without controversy, however. The centrist UCR, the dominant party following the Peronists' ban, was opposed to convening the assembly before the restoration of democracy (when the UCR would almost certainly be in power). One front runner, Arturo Frondizi
Arturo Frondizi
Arturo Frondizi Ercoli was the President of Argentina between May 1, 1958, and March 29, 1962, for the Intransigent Radical Civic Union.-Early life:Frondizi was born in Paso de los Libres, Corrientes Province...
, believed it to be Aramburu's attempt to forestall elections, and the more conservative Ricardo Balbín
Ricardo Balbín
Ricardo Balbín was an Argentine lawyer and politician, and one of the most important figures of the centrist Radical Civic Union , for which he was the presidential nominee four times: in 1951, 1958, and twice in 1973....
feared it could boost Argentina's myriad, smaller parties - potentially complicating the UCR's ability to govern.
Aramburu's more reactionary colleagues in the military favored a far slower timetable towards elections, but were reluctant to challenge him. The UCR's November 1956 convention in Tucumán was marked by acrimony over relationships with the military and with peronists, and it resulted in the party's division. Balbín continued to lead the party's mainstream (as the UCR-P), while the less anti-peronist faction formed the UCRI - led by Oscar Alende
Oscar Alende
Oscar Eduardo Alende was an Argentine politician who founded the Intransigent Party.Alende was born in Maipú, Buenos Aires Province. He studied medicine at the University of La Plata, where he led the student union, and completed his medical studies at the University of Buenos Aires in 1933...
and Balbín's 1951 running mate, Arturo Frondizi
Arturo Frondizi
Arturo Frondizi Ercoli was the President of Argentina between May 1, 1958, and March 29, 1962, for the Intransigent Radical Civic Union.-Early life:Frondizi was born in Paso de los Libres, Corrientes Province...
.
The two UCR factions competed not only with each other, but also with the many, smaller parties. One of the most prominent, the Socialist Party of Argentina, suffered from its own internal divisions. Américo Ghioldi
Américo Ghioldi
Américo Ghioldi was an Argentine educator, publisher and prominent Socialist politician.-Life and times:...
led those who supported retribution for the harassment that had been inflicted on them during Perón's rule, while Alfredo Palacios
Alfredo Palacios
Alfredo Lorenzo Palacios was an Argentine socialist politician.Palacios was born in Buenos Aires, and studied law at Universidad de Buenos Aires, after graduation he became a lawyer and taught at the university until becoming a dean.In 1902, he was elected to the Buenos Aires' legislature, and in...
and led those who opposed such action. The elections - the first since Perón's deposal - were narrowly "won" by blank votes: Voters cast about 2,116,000 of these, besting the UCR-P's total by 10,000 and resulting in one of the highest such incidences (25%) in Argentine electoral history.
Ultimately, the narrowly-divided convention in Santa Fe
Santa Fe, Argentina
Santa Fe is the capital city of province of Santa Fe, Argentina. It sits in northeastern Argentina, near the junction of the Paraná and Salado rivers. It lies opposite the city of Paraná, to which it is linked by the Hernandarias Subfluvial Tunnel. The city is also connected by canal with the...
resulted in deadlock when the UCRI walked out over the imminent reinsertion of Perón's Constitutional Article 40 (which nationalized energy resources). His Article 14 - which included social guarantees - was approved, however, before the assembly was adjourned after two months, on November 14.