Argentina

Senate

Political system
Presidential system
Structure of parliament
Bicameral
IPU membership
Yes

About parliament

Basic information such as the official name of parliament and details of its structure and leadership. Also includes the current breakdown of MPs by sex and age, and provisions for quotas and reserved seats.

Parliament name
Congreso de la nación (National Congress)
Chamber name
Senado (Senate)
Structure & status of parliament
Upper chamber
Parliamentary term (years)
6

Notes: One-third of the membership is renewed every 2 years

Frequency of renewal (years)
2

IPU membership

Affiliation periods
from 1933 to 1964
from 1973 to 1975
from 1984
IPU Geopolitical Group/s
Group of Latin America and the Caribbean (GRULAC)

Speaker

Official title
President of the Senate
Speaker
Victoria Eugenia Villarruel (Female)
Date of birth: 13 Apr 1975
Term
10 Dec 2023 to 09 Dec 2027
Additional information

Vice-President of the Republic

Speaker terms

No information available

Secretary general

Official title
Secretary General (Secretario Parlamentario)
Secretary General
Agustín Giustinian (Male)
Term
12 Dec 2023
Notes

12 Dec. 2023 -

Members

Statutory number of members
72
Principal mode of designation of members
Directly elected
Directly elected members
72
Current number of members
72
Men
39
Women
33
Percentage of women
45.8%
Statutory number of members per country 
329
Population (in thousands)
45,538
Inhabitants per parliamentarian
138,413

Age

Data on the age of parliamentarians is collected at the start of the legislature, following the most recent elections. This data is not updated during the legislature, except when parliament notifies the IPU of a change in the youngest or oldest member.

Average age of all members
56.0
(2023-12)
Youngest member
Andrea Marcela Cristina (Female)
Youngest member (years)
34
Oldest member
Stella Maris Olalla (Female)
Oldest member (years)
80
Number of members, by age (2023-12)
Breakdown of members by age and gender
18 - 20 21 - 30 31 - 40 41 - 45 46 - 50 51 - 60 61 - 70 71 - 80 81 - 90 91 and over Totals per gender
Male 0 0 2 2 4 15 12 4 0 0 39
Female 0 0 5 3 5 9 7 3 0 0 32
Totals per age interval 0 0 7 5 9 24 19 7 0 0 71
Total <= 45: 12 Total >= 46: 59
Percentage of members, by age
Age at the last election or renewal Overall Male Female
Percentage of MPs 30 years of age or younger
0.0% 0.0% 0.0%
Percentage of MPs 40 years of age or younger
9.9% 3% 7.0%
Percentage of MPs 45 years of age or younger
16.9% 6% 11.3%

Reserved seats and quotas

There are reserved seats in parliament for certain groups
No
Electoral quota for women
Yes

Notes:

The Gender Parity in Political Representation Act (Ley 27.412) stipulates what is known as a zebra system for the lists of candidates to the Chamber of Deputies, the Senate and the Mercosur Parliament. The lists must alternate between men and women candidates from start to finish for both titular and substitute candidates. Lists that do not comply with this requirement will not be validated.

The Organic Act on Political Parties (Ley 23.298) further stipulates that, in cases where the principle of gender parity is breached, political parties may lose their political and legal personality.

Sources: Article 60 bis of the National Electoral Code (Código Electoral Nacional) and article 50 (h) of the Organic Act on Political Parties (Ley 23.298) as amended by the Gender Parity in Political Representation Act (Ley 27.412). The latter Act was adopted by the Chamber of Deputies on 22 November 2017, enacted by the President of the Republic (Decreto No. 1035) on 14 December 2017, and published in the official journal (BORA) on 15 December 2017.

Youth quota
No

Links to additional information

Parliamentary website
List of members
Rules of procedure/Standing Orders
Constitution

Historical data for IPU membership

Historical data for IPU membership
Year IPU membership
2020-09
List of values for 2020-09
No
2019-04
List of values for 2019-04
No
2018-06
List of values for 2018-06
No