The ruling party continues to be caught up in its struggles and only shows its unity on the worst possible terrain: the offensive on the Court

The authorities of the bloc of deputies and several operators – from the government and from kichnerismo – worked intensely, in a Congress paralyzedto ensure discipline and perfect attendance in the impeachment committee. They therefore imposed their adjusted majority to move forward with the prosecution of the four members of the Supreme Court. It is a process that has no chance of success on the spot and is unlikely ever to reach that decisive instance of quorum and voting. But it was necessary to show a triumph, curious, because it confronts the broader reality of the party in power: unity on this ground and fierce struggle for internal power.

By unimaginable coincidence, the striking painting exposed all of its lines on the same day, last Thursday. The Front de tous showed representatives of all its spaces -Olivos, Kirchnerism, Massismo and various provincial leaders- gathered as deputies for the office of Supreme Court justices. And almost at the same time he transcended uncomfortably from the Casa Rosada which Alberto Fernández had suspended a meeting with the Peronist governors lack of appointment confirmation. Also at the same time, the Court proceeded to first meeting of the year -formal, after reserved contacts-, disseminated and interpreted as a signal in itself. Moreover, there was no lack of suspicion.

The contestation within the ruling party is not taking place in a relaxed framework of economic confinement, despite the hyperactivity which Sergio Massa. On the contrary, there are different ratings and data. Close to the Economy, they argue that domestic battles complicate or could have a negative impact if they are not stopped without delay. They are not convinced for similar reasons by the agitation of the accusation on the judicial front, but stand out in Deputies would have represented a break with Cristina Fernández de Kirchner.

The former president reiterated her quiet commitment to Massa’s leadership. The question, in the short term, is what would be the attitude of kirchnerism if the escalation of prices were not stopped. The versions circulating within the government speak of a CPI for January worse than expectedi.e. nearly 6%. No one disputes the bullishness. In addition to private reports, figures from the city of Buenos Aires and provinces like Córdoba express this line, with local characteristics and also as sign of months in a row.

It turns out that even in this context, CFK and Alberto Fernández continue to stretch the political cord. Kirchnerism has scruples, no more dragging anger, with the effective position of the President in the defense of his leader. They consider that he did not play thoroughly. The apprehensions reach the movement which ended up placing the accusation against the Court in Congress, without definitive perspective due to the need for special majorities, inaccessible. The opposition of Juntos por el Cambio and some lesser spaces casts doubt on whether a number can even be brought together to take the debate to the lower house.

But the Kirchnerism must place the cases with which CFK is confronted as central point ruling party agenda for electoral disputes: this is more than symbolic, apart from the forced slogan of “proscription”. Political support is a fundamental element, in principle to make it understood that the axis of the ruling party has not been overthrown. To this is added the dam to run definitively from the decision of 2023 to Alberto Fernández. Eventually, internal power struggle. This is what the discussion is about the national table of the Front de Touswith a release date for next Thursday.

With this background curtain, the direction appears outdated and fragmented. An example: the change of chief of staff has the category of secondary theme. Juan Manzour Some time ago, he had stepped away from these tasks and focused on the elections in his province. The departure, scheduled months ago, was made official by Alberto Fernández in Tucumán. And the vacancy will be filled by Agustin Rossi. Meanwhile, Alberto Fernández will pursue his action plan with a campaign tone, a resource to maintain internal space and a re-election imaginary that particularly irritates CFK.

The charge of the Court did not have the expected impact at the start compete with other issues at the top of the public agenda. And less distended internally. It also hasn’t worked so far to bog down the opposition in this game, which is still going on anyway. entangled in his own career and showed little sign of shifting the focus of the discussion. last attempt was the counterpoint of public debtlimited to a warning and little will from its leaders for this debate.

Even so, the ruling party in MPs produced a bit of a warning, but important I stopped the initial idea of ​​trying to crack JxC. Decided to process all impeachment requests en bloc Horacio Rosatti, Carlos Ronsenkrantz, Juan Carlos Maqueda and Ricardo Lorenzetti. The Civic Coalition had submitted demands against Lorenzetti years ago, but placing them in a package with the ruling party’s proposals facilitated rejection without a break in the opposition. Seen in a mirror, it also prevented further progress against a particular judge.

The Close Vote at the Impeachment Commission projected some relevant signals. He showed that it is a land to score non-negotiable and gravitating positions in both lanes. The FdeT had its 16 legislators. JxC gathered its 14. And the representative of the Federal Interblock, “Topo” Rodríguez, participated in the entire process. Beyond the result16 to 15-, the tally indicates that the ruling party finds no echo beyond its own ranks. Seen in this light, he would not even achieve a quorum if he tried to bring the debate to the spot. The impossibility of scraping two-thirds to approve the charge before the judges was already clear.

The Court, for its part, he also showed more than he did. It met almost in parallel to take account of the agenda. And he allowed the reaction to the escalation of the pro-government party to transcend: despite internal and woundsit will move United in this area and in the midst of an election year. AT dense pending issues, including the dispute over the reduction of funds from the city of Buenos Aires. Next Tuesday, they will meet again. On that day, the inflation figure for January will be released, a high-impact issue, not exclusively economic. And two days later, the beginnings of the FdeT national table and a new meeting of the Political Judgment Commission are planned. Other coincidences of an intense month of February.