Broad Front UNEN

Broad Front UNEN (Spanish: Frente Amplio UNEN) was an center-left[2] political coalition in Argentina that unites the Radical Civic Union, Civic Coalition ARI, Proyecto Sur, Freemen of the South Movement, Socialist Party, Authentic Socialist Party, and GEN. The name UNEN is an acronym of "Unión y Encuentro" (Spanish: Unity and meeting).[3] Founded in April 2014, the purpose of the coalition was to unite the parties that oppose Peronism and Kirchnerism in a single entity, but the inclusion of the center-right party Republican Proposal was a controversial topic among the parties.[4]

Broad Front UNEN Frente Amplio UNEN
Abbreviation	FAUNEN
President	Fernando Solanas
Founded	June 13, 2013 (as an electoral alliance) April 22, 2014 (recognized as a political coalition)
Dissolved	March 15, 2015 (after the UCR's National convention)
Preceded by	Broad Progressive Front
Succeeded by	Cambiemos (UCR, CC-ARI) Progresistas (PS, PSA, GEN, LDS)
Headquarters	Buenos Aires, Argentina
Ideology	Social democracy Progressivism Social liberalism
Political position	Centre-left[1]
Colours	Light Green, Skyblue, Red, & Pink
Members	Radical Civic Union Civic Coalition ARI Proyecto Sur Socialist Party Authentic Socialist Party GEN Freemen of the South Civic Front of Córdoba
Website
frenteampliounen.org
Politics of Argentina Political parties Elections

History

The coalition was composed of several parties. The Broad Progressive Front was a socialist coalition that placed second in the 2011 Argentine general election, with the candidate Hermes Binner. UNEN was another coalition created in the 2013 Argentine legislative election, composed by the Radical Civic Union, Proyecto Sur, and the Civic Coalition ARI. With the candidates Pino Solanas and Elisa Carrió running for the Senate and the Chamber of Deputies, respectively, UNEN placed second in the city of Buenos Aires, forcing Daniel Filmus (the candidate of the national government) into third place, thus ousting him from Senate.[4]

The Broad Front UNEN coalition had its inauguration at the Argentine Broadway Theatre. Radical politician Luis Brandoni announced the content of the constitution document, which was then signed by the leaders of the parties.[4]

The coalition includes most Argentine parties that are not Peronist. The likely Peronist candidates for the 2015 presidential election are Daniel Scioli, governor of the Buenos Aires province; Sergio Massa, elected deputy in 2013; and other candidates sponsored by the national government such as Sergio Urribarri and Florencio Randazzo.[5]

Elisa Carrió, Fernanda Reyes and Martin Lousteau, UNEN's leaders from Civic Coalition ARI

There was some controversy about the inclusion of the Republican Proposal, led by Buenos Aires mayor Mauricio Macri, in the coalition. Macri's support would be needed to counter the powerful Peronist parties, but he is a conservative and most parties in the coalition are left-wing or centre-left.[4] As of April 2014, Solanas, Margarita Stolbizer, and Ricardo Alfonsín rejected to join forces with Macri, whereas Carrió and other radicals did not reject the idea.[6] Macri ruled out an electoral alliance, but proposed instead to find consensus for national policies after the elections.[7]

The inauguration of the provincial wing of UNEN for the Buenos Aires Province, the largest province of Argentina, is scheduled for May 22, one month after the general national inauguration. It will take place at the National University of Avellaneda. The likely candidates for governor of the Buenos Aires province are Facundo Manes, Héctor Gutiérrez, Miguel Bazze, Gerardo Milman, Sergio Buil, Sebastián Cinquerrui and Mario Cafiero.[8] Elisa Carrió has commented that she may run for governor instead of president, but dismissed the idea later.[9] The coalition also intends to make a meeting on May 24 at the house of the 1852 San Nicolás Agreement, but the place is owned by the ministry of culture of the province, currently under the Kirchnerite rule of Scioli. So far, it has not given authorization for the event.[10]

Policies

UNEN opposed the nationalization of the Navy Petty-Officers School of Mechanics, which is under the jurisdiction of the city of Buenos Aires. A press release from UNEN described the handover as "illegal and arbitrary".[11] They also proposed a reduction to the income tax, which was not updated according to the high inflation, but the Kirchnerite legislators retired from Congress to prevent the minimum quorum.[12]

2015 elections

Opinion polls made by Poliarquía on April 2014 revealed that UNEN may be fourth in the electoral preferences, behind Massa, Scioli and Macri. The study shows as well that the four parties may be having very close electoral preferences. Eduardo Fidanza, director of Poliarquía, suggested that UNEN may be fourth in the electoral preferences because, unlike the other candidates, the coalition does not have an obvious political leader, and may increase its chances after the primary elections.[13]

The poll asked as well a preferred candidate of UNEN to those who may vote for the coalition. There was a tie between Hermes Binner and Julio Cobos, followed by Elisa Carrió.[13]

2013 election and nationwide replication

In the October 2013 legislative election, alliances of UCR, CC-ARI, PS and other centre-left parties (mainly components of the 2011 Broad Progressive Front) ran in most provinces, usually under the name of the Progressive, Civic and Social Front. In the city of Buenos Aires, an analogous alliance was called UNEN, in Chaco Union for Chaco, in Jujuy Jujuyan Front, in Catamarca Civic and Social Front and in Santa Cruz Front Let's Change for Growth. In Córdoba, Mendoza and Entre Rios, however, the UCR ran separately from the rest of the centre-left opposition.

Break up

Elisa Carrio was the first to leave the coalition, making instead an alliance with Macri and running in the primary elections against him. Hermes Binner declined his presidential candidacy, to focus on keeping the Santa Fe province for the socialist party. The Radical Civic Union made a congress to decide the candidacies and alliances, and appointed Sanz as the candidate to run against Macri. Cobos accepted the result of the discussion and declined his candidacy.

Electoral history

Chamber of Deputies

Election year	votes	%	seats won	Total seats	Position	Presidency	Note
2013	5,460,861	23.81	34	61 / 257	Minority	Cristina Fernández (FPV—PJ)

Senate elections

Election year	votes	%	seats won	Total seats	Position	Presidency	Note
2013	1,356,419	26.37	3	19 / 72	Minority	Cristina Fernández (FPV—PJ)

References

1. https://www.clarin.com/politica/presidenciables-unen-mostraron-ironias-macri_0_HkuVW6T5v7x.html
2. De 2014, 8 De Enero. "Con críticas al Gobierno y a Macri, UNEN designó a Solanas como presidente del espacio". Infobae.
3. James Neilson. "UNEN, la gran esperanza progre" [UNEN, the great progressist hope] (in Spanish). Noticias. Archived from the original on May 23, 2014. Retrieved May 23, 2014.
4. "A centre-left broad front is born in Argentina as "a government alternative"". MercoPress. 23 April 2014. Retrieved 14 May 2014.
5. "Argentine broad front opens possibility of runoff dispute in 2015 presidential election". MercoPress. 24 April 2014. Retrieved 2 May 2014.
6. "Broad Front UNEN leaders slam PRO links". Buenos Aires Herald. April 21, 2014. Retrieved May 2, 2014.
7. "Macri rules out agreement with Broad Front-UNEN". Buenos Aires Herald. April 24, 2014. Retrieved May 2, 2014.
8. "Lanzarán el 22 de mayo la versión bonaerense del Frente UNEN" [The wing of the Broad Front UNEN for the Buenos Aires province will be launched on May 22]. La Nación (in Spanish). May 9, 2014. Retrieved May 19, 2014.
9. "Tras el amague, Carrió dice que no competirá en Provincia" [After the suggestion, Carrió says that she will not run in the Province] (in Spanish). Clarín. May 14, 2014. Retrieved May 19, 2014.
10. "Los precandidatos del Frente Amplio UNEN se vuelven a juntar en San Nicolás" [The precandidates of the Board Front UNEN meet again at San Nicolás]. La Nación (in Spanish). May 16, 2014. Retrieved May 19, 2014.
11. "Broad Front UNEN present constitutional protection over ex-ESMA". Buenos Aires Herald. May 9, 2014. Retrieved May 9, 2014.
12. "Diputados: la oposición denunció que el oficialismo no dio quórum para debatir el Impuesto a las ganancias" [Deputies: the opposition denounced that the officialism denied quorum to discuss the income tax]. La Nación (in Spanish). May 14, 2014. Retrieved May 19, 2014.
13. "En un escenario muy fragmentado, Massa lidera las preferencias electorales" [Massa leads the electoral preferences in a highly fragmented scenario]. La Nación (in Spanish). April 13, 2014. Retrieved May 19, 2014.

External links

• Official website (in Spanish)