Fiscal Pressures and Political Conflict in Argentina: Intensifying the Struggle between a Primus and her Pares

In 2013, both the central government and the provinces faced growing fiscal pressures. Although the relative worsening of some economic indicators affected the votes received by the ruling party in the legislative elections, this did not substantially alter the composition of seats in Congress. The President could put forward her legislative agenda with this legislative support. However, the positive image of the president eroded in public opinion polls. Facing fiscal pressures and a relatively weakened president, governors deepened their coordination efforts against the central government. As a result, one of the central features of Argentine politics in 2013 was the intensification of the conflict between the president (a primus) and the governors (her peers). Adapted from the source document.