LatinNews Daily - 22 August 2025

*Argentina’s federal senate has approved two bills likely to be deemed contrary to President Javier Milei’s fiscal agenda, one increasing university financing and another boosting funding for paediatric care. The senate approved the bills, which were passed by the lower chamber on 6 August, in a session that lasted for almost 13 hours. Senators passed the university financing bill, which proposes the reopening of collective bargaining for staff, the establishment of funds for operations and scholarships, and the creation of a general fund of Ar$10bn (US$7.61m), by 58 votes in favour to ten against and three abstentions. The second bill, which seeks to declare an emergency in paediatric healthcare to provide more funding, allow for salary adjustments, and repeal a resolution that modified the medical residency system, was passed by 62 votes in favour to eight against. During the session, senators also voted to annul five decrees issued by President Milei to disband or transform state entities the government considers to be “oversized and inefficient”. These include the national genetic data bank (BNDG), the merchant navy, the national theatre institute (INT), the national commission for public libraries (Conabip), the national roads authority (DNV), the industrial technology institute (Inti), and the agricultural technology institute (Inta). The decrees have also been annulled by the lower chamber, meaning the senate’s vote renders them null and void. This all comes after the lower chamber voted to reject Milei’s veto of a bill to increase disability benefits on 20 August, although it upheld another veto of a bill boosting pensions. Following the veto rejection, Milei accused congress of being “held hostage by Kirchnerismo”, the main left-wing populist faction within the opposition Partido Justicialista (PJ, Peronists), stating that “they have a single legislative agenda: to bankrupt the national government”.

End of preview - This article contains approximately 296 words.

Subscribers: Log in now to read the full article

Not a Subscriber?

Choose from one of the following options

• Subscribe
• Sign up for a one-time, 14-day trial