Argentine Chamber of Deputies Rejects President’s Vetoes on Key Legislation
The Argentine Chamber of Deputies has overturned President Javier Milei’s vetoes on two critical laws, marking a significant setback for the administration. The chamber’s decision comes after both measures garnered the two-thirds majority required for passage, reports 24brussels.
The two laws in question are the University Financing Law, which mandates increased budget allocations for public universities, and the declaration of a pediatric healthcare emergency, which directs resources to the overwhelmed Garrahan Hospital. The veto of the University Financing Law failed with 174 votes in favor, while the Pediatric Emergency Law was rejected with 181 votes supporting it, alongside 67 and 60 votes against, respectively.
These legislative measures now proceed to the Senate, where each requires a two-thirds majority for enactment. The debate surrounding these vetoes was notably charged, featuring large-scale protests outside the legislative building, with healthcare professionals, university students, and professors demonstrating against the austerity measures championed by Milei’s government.
The University Financing Law, which was passed on August 21, adjusts the state budget for public universities and raises salaries for professors and administrative staff. Concurrently, the Garrahan Law, approved on August 22, declares a two-year emergency in pediatric healthcare while allocating immediate resources, including salary increases for public sector employees in this area.
Representative Gerardo Martínez of the Unión por la Patria party underscored the significance of these laws, stating, “We have to defend public healthcare and universities, and the workers who lost 30% of their income. We have to defend them.”
The Milei administration faces mounting challenges, including a bribery scandal involving the National Disability Agency, the recent rejection of the Emergency Disability Law, and a substantial defeat in legislative elections in Buenos Aires province. At a recent gathering at the Paraguayan Industrial Entrepreneurs Forum, Milei defended his government’s record, asserting, “We do not want to close universities; the accounts are up to date, and some are resisting audits.”
However, the National Interuniversity Council (CIN) has raised alarms over insufficient budget provisions for universities within the 2026 Budget proposal put forth by the Executive Branch, garnering criticism regarding potential adverse effects on public education.
