Argentine PASO: A Potential Lesson for the Spanish Left

• The Argentine PASO (Simultaneous, Open, and Mandatory Primary) system was introduced in 2009 to democratize candidate selection and strengthen political parties.
• The system has successfully mitigated internal party fragmentation, increased civic participation, and facilitated the creation of broad electoral coalitions.
• Proponents suggest that a PASO-style model could resolve internal disputes and coalition-building struggles currently facing the Spanish left.

Key Characteristics of the PASO System

• Mandatory Participation: All parties must hold primaries, even with a unity slate; voting is compulsory for citizens.
• Simultaneous Execution: All primaries occur on the same day across all districts to prevent cross-party interference.
• Proportional Integration: The D’Hont system mandates that winning lists incorporate candidates from losing lists based on vote share.
• Resource Equality: The law grants mandatory free airtime on TV and radio to all parties, including smaller ones, based on their parliamentary standing.

Political Impact

• Party Dynamism: Primaries have horizontalized candidate selection and involved non-militant citizens in the process.
• Coalition Building: Essential to the success of major coalitions like 'Cambiemos' in 2015 and the 'Frente de Todos' in 2019.
• Risks and Unintended Outcomes: The system can inadvertently propel radical outsiders—such as Javier Milei in Argentina or Donald Trump in the US—to prominence by leveraging individual popularity over party establishment support.

Implications for Spanish Politics

• Resolving Internal Conflict: Primaries could replace 'back-room' negotiations and leadership feuds with a clear, citizen-backed mandate for candidates.
• Political Shifts: Figures like Isabel Díaz Ayuso might utilize such a system to bypass party establishment opposition, explaining why leaders like Feijóo remain hesitant toward reform.
• Practical Hurdles: Current political consensus and time constraints in Spain make an immediate electoral reform to implement open primaries unlikely.