ARGENTINA: Milei wants to repeal “useless” laws

Thank you for reading LatinNews' chosen article from the LatinNews Daily - 14 October 2024

On 11 October Argentina’s President Javier Milei submitted a draft ‘Ley Hojarasca’ (‘dead leaves’ law) to congress, which would eliminate over 70 pieces of legislation considered to be “useless, obsolete, or restrictive of freedom”.

Analysis:

The bill is the brainchild of Federico Sturzenegger, the head of the newly created ministry for the deregulation and transformation of the state. He was cited by the media as saying the laws now facing repeal were approved between 1958 and 2007. At a meeting with business leaders earlier last week Sturzenegger had promised to eliminate “excessive” and “complicated” rules. “I know that the state complicates your life, and our vocation is to remove those difficulties,” the minister said, adding “when the state withdraws, the private sector expands”.

• Among the laws to be repealed are five approved during the presidency of Isabel Perón (1974-1976), five during the presidency of General Alejandro Agustín Lanusse (1971-1973) and others during the presidencies of Juan Carlos Onganía (1966-1970), Carlos Menem (1989-1999) and Néstor Kirchner (2003-2007).
• The laws were introduced by governments of very different political colour, including the military dictatorships of the 1970s and early 1980s.
• Examples include Law 14034, which bans the defence of human rights cases before international bodies; 20120, which gives the government powers to prevent meetings between private citizens; and 22875, which allows the government to force companies to relocate.
• In a separate move designed to reduce the size of the state, the presidential spokesman, Manuel Adorni, said that some 40,000 public sector employees whose temporary employment contracts expire in December will be subject to examinations in order to assess their “knowledge and competency” to stay in the post, as well as making a sworn statement of assets and obtaining a certificate of “psycho-physical” aptitude.

Looking Ahead: The government faces a tight legislative agenda as it seeks approval for the Ley Hojarasca and the 2025 budget, among other bills. Having controversially vetoed a university funding law, the government is likely to face opposition bills to restore education funding. Officials say such an uplift might be acceptable if equal value cuts are made elsewhere to balance the 2025 budget.

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