Census 2022 and its impact on politics: the Chamber of Deputies should update the number of legislators

Is the third chance the charm? After the 1994 reform, the National Constitution establishes that at the result of each census the number of representatives of each province must be changed. In fact, the National Electoral Chamber has already urged Congress to make this adjustment. But after the INDEC measurements in 2001 and 2010 it was not done.

As Clarín reported in January, lawmakers themselves calculate that the province of Buenos Aires about 30 deputies are missing, and the number of seats in other large towns such as Córdoba or Mendoza also lacks representation. In addition, due to minimum ceilings and the addition of legislators established by martial laws, there are districts with representation that is larger than strictly population -based, such as the City of Buenos Aires itself.

The National Electoral Chamber urged Congress to respect the constitutional mandate and update the number of deputies. This is in 2018, based on a complaint by a deputy candidate in Cordovan. This is the result of a presentation in 2016 by the former provincial legislator, Aurelio Garcia Elorrioof the Neighborhood Meeting.

“Why does Córdoba need 170 thousand votes to get a deputy while other provinces have achieved it with 80 thousand? The vote of the population should be worth it. Equal representation of the provinces is already in the Senate“Elorrio complained Clarion.

Elorrio compared the City of Buenos Aires to data from the 2010 census: 2,890,000 porteños and 3,308,000 Cordovans. But the Bayan have 25 representatives citizens at Cordoba 18.

The genocidal Reynaldo Bignone, the last head of the Executive Branch during the last military dictatorship, enacted Law No. 22,847 in 1983, establishing one representative for every 161,000 inhabitants or fraction of at least 80,500.

also arranged at least five representatives per province and retained three additional representatives in each province added by Law No. 19,862 of 1972.

In these terms and based on data from the 1980 census – with 27,949,480 living in the country – it is the 257 banks which currently has a Chamber of Deputies. That is why in Parliament it is known as “Bignone’s law“.

after that law there were three censuses. The latter, in 2010, established that 40,117,096 citizens live in Argentina and as of Wednesday it is estimated to provide approximately 45 million inhabitants. But there was no update and now there is no expectation that the representation of deputies in the lower house will be changed.

“There is little is expected that it will cure. We are more than 30 years old and it is not about increasing the number but about keeping the proportionality of the representatives according to the number of inhabitants that each province should have, avoiding over and under representation “, he said. of JxC representative, Margarita Stolbizer to ClarionYes submitted a project update.

In this regard, liberal representative José Luis Espert is opposed to increasing the number of national representatives. “Seems nonsense to me. We can’t have a lot of politicians when what What we need to do is reduce policy costs. People don’t give more than paying taxes. That fact, with enormous weight, needs to be more than any law, including article 45 of the Constitution, ”Espert said. Clarion.

The article referred to by Espert, clarified: “The House of Deputies shall consist of representatives directly elected by the people of the provinces, of the city of Buenos Aires, and of the Capital in case of transfer, who are considered for it. purpose as electoral districts of a single State and simple majority of votes “.

And he concluded: “The number of representatives shall be one for every thirty -three thousand inhabitants. or fraction of at least sixteen thousand five hundred. After each census is completed, Congress shall set the representation accordingly, which may increase but not decrease the base declared for each representative.

What will be the number of the House of Deputies?

There are various projects to update the number of national representatives. Among the latest projects to change the figure are the aforementioned Stolbizer (Together for Change) and one by Myriam Bregman (Left Front).

Bregman proposed keeping the percentage of one representative per 161 thousand inhabitants or fraction of at least 80,500, the minimum of 5 per province, but add three more legislators per province. With the population update that will increase number of representatives in 328.

According to the project of the Left, the province of Buenos Aires will go from the current 70 deputies up to 100; Cordoba from 18 to 24; Santa Fe from 19 to 23 and Mendoza from 10 to 14.

Faced with criticism of the proliferation of seats — the state’s consequent tool for politics —, from the left they mention that in Canada, a population of 34 million, there are 308 legislators, or South Africa, with 50 million inhabitants has a lower assembly. with 400 members. They also point out that Spain, with 40 million, has a legislative chamber consisting of 350 members.

As a prospect of a liberal criticism, the Left in the project itself speaks of not increase public spending: “Both legislators and all public officials should not receive more than the usual salary of Argentina. In this sense, we have projects so that representatives receive credit for the same amount as a teacher who is 30 years old“.

In part, the Stolbizer project proposes one representative for every 140,000 residents, or a portion of at least 70,000, and at least four representatives per district. The Chamber of Deputies will pass from 297 members to 324but insisted it needed to be discussed: “There is an open violation“.

Unlike other projects, Stolbizer plans to reduce the minimum in each province to four. “Now, for example, we are with the Fiscal Pact. The Executive is always needed negotiate with governorswhich carries enormous weight on Congress for what is the value of those five deputieswith more weight than those in Buenos Aires, where there should be more representatives, ”Stolbizer said Clarion.

“If we adjust to the differences in the census, the small provinces will have one or two, so as not to be included, we put the numbers so as not to be proportionally beaten but yes come down “He added.

The GEN head also expects possible criticism: “Overall, it has these issues bad public opinion, because it seems like an attempt to put in more legislators and not be seen as illegitimate. In my calculations, the number of deputies will increase, but it will decrease in small provinces, and we will not go to other countries, where there are 500 deputies. “

loss of representation

“The current rules of the game indicate that no province can have fewer representatives than in 1976. And if that changes, Which province will receive the loss of representation?“Asked Leandro Domínguez, coordinator of Political Analysis of the Legislative Directory.

On the other hand, he warned: “If Buenos Aires added all the seats equivalent to it, it would have a weight of more than 30% of the House. If the force ends that district, it will also parliamentary consensus will change“.

DS