Executive-legislative relations

Abstract

The resignation of Argentine president Fernando de la Rua was not as orderly. On October 14 2001, after almost two years in office, his administration lost control of the two Houses of Congress to the Peronist party. The electoral defeat came in the midst of one of the country’s worst economic crisis. Two months later, thousands of people marched on the Casa Rosada calling for his resignation. On December 21 2001, he fled the governmental palace in a helicopter. The Peronist Adolfo Rodríguez Saá, then governor of San Luis, was appointed by the legislature as the new interim president. Nonetheless, he also resigned a week later when he lost the support of fellow Peronist governors. A legislative assembly eventually chose Peronist senator Eduardo Duhalde to complete De la Rua’s term. Political turmoil, however, continued. Soon it became apparent that Duhalde’s political support was more symbolic than real. Even though he was almost unanimously chosen by the legislature to take care of the government, he continuously faced serious obstacles to implement his decisions.