The President of Argentina intends to dismiss the Supreme Court of Justice
The Argentine President, Alberto Fernandez, launched on Wednesday a parliamentary procedure to recall the Supreme Court for the “improper exercise of its functions”, a new stage in the conflict between power and the judicial system that he wants to reform, writes AFP. Fernandez (Peronist, center-left) on Wednesday submitted to the leadership of the Chamber of Deputies a request for a “political process” against the Supreme Court, asking for “a quick legislative treatment”.
The approach, with a strong symbolism, has almost no chance of success. Deputies must first approve the principle of an investigation. The latter, if it occurs, is carried out within 60 days by a parliamentary committee. Then, approval by two-thirds of each Chamber is required first to officially “impeach” and then dismiss the four judges of the Supreme Court of Justice. However, the center-left coalition in power does not hold an absolute majority either in the Lower House or in the Senate, even if it is the most important parliamentary group there. The head of state’s initiative follows a December decision by the Supreme Court, strongly contested by the central government, which increased the proportion of federal tax revenues that of the capital Buenos Aires, whose mayor is the center-right opponent Horacio Larreta. Fernandez accused the Court of “arbitrarily invading the spheres of exclusive competence of the other powers” of the state. He denounced a “political judgment, related to an election year”, Larreta being a serious candidate for the presidential elections scheduled for the end of 2023. Instead, Larreta accused Fernandez of “violating the institutional order and harming the rule of law and democracy”, attacking the judges. The government camp “wants to override the law and change the referee”, he denounced, assuring that the opposition will prevent the procedure. Since the beginning of his mandate in 2019, Alberto Fernandez has tried unsuccessfully to reform the judicial system, which is widely discredited and which the government and the opposition accuse each other of using. According to a mid-2022 survey, more than 78% of Argentines have a “negative” or “very negative” image of the functioning of their justice system, AFP recalls.
By Paul Bumman
