# 2001 Argentine legislative election

An Argentine legislative election took place on Sunday, 14 October 2001 to elect 127 of the 257 seats in the Argentine Chamber of Deputies, and all 72 seats in the Argentine Senate. The elections were held during the second year of the administration of President Fernando de la Rúa. Elections to the Chamber of Deputies are held using staggered elections, with only 127 of the 257 seats in that chamber being up for grabs.
In the event, the opposition Justicialist Party took control of both chambers of the legislature, severely limiting the power of the administration of De la Rúa. His government was supported by the Radical Civic Union, the Broad Front and the Front for a Country in Solidarity, who contested the election jointly under the banner of the Alliance for Work, Justice and Education.
The Argentine Senate faced its first elections since 1995, and in accordance with an agreement crafted following the 1994 reform of the Argentine Constitution, all 72 seats would be renewed, and three classes of senators elected in 2001 would serve for two, four, or six-years in their first term afterwards. Senators, save for the City of Buenos Aires, had previously been elected by their respective provincial legislatures, but would now be popularly elected.

## Background

In 1999, Fernando de la Rúa had been elected President of Argentina in that year's elections. De la Rúa had inherited an economy in recession, and in the midst of an economic crisis. In the end, the 2001 legislative elections were seen as a rebuke for De la Rúa and his handling of the crisis, which was at that point in its fourth year. The Justicialist Party, which had suffered a defeat in 1999, staged a comeback in this election, benefiting from its role as the principal opposition party. Elections in Argentina are compulsory, meaning that those who fail to turn out potentially could face a fine or other punishment. Despite this, roughly a quarter (24.4%) of Argentines eligible to vote, chose to stay at home. The blank votes additionally made up a major share of all votes cast.

## Results
### Chamber of Deputies

| Party | Party | Votes | % | Seats won | Total seats |
| | Justicialist Party (PJ) | 5,499,353 | 38.49 | 66 | 118 |
| | Alliance for Work, Justice and Education (Alianza) | 3,244,891 | 22.71 | 35 | 97 |
| | Alternative for a Republic of Equals (ARI) | 1,288,403 | 9.02 | 8 | 8 |
| | Social Pole | 588,424 | 4.12 | 4 | 4 |
| | United Left (IU) | 518,314 | 3.63 | 1 | 1 |
| | Humanist Party (PH) | 384,248 | 2.69 | — | — |
| | Federalist Unity Party (PAUFE) | 296.804 | 2.08 | 2 | 3 |
| | Union of the Democratic Centre (UCEDE) | 287,976 | 2.02 | — | — |
| | Workers' Party (PO) - Movement for Socialism (MAS) | 243,784 | 1.71 | — | — |
| | Action for the Republic (AR) | 160,832 | 1.13 | — | 10 |
| | Union for Buenos Aires Front (PJ + AR) | 156,104 | 1.09 | 2 | |
| | Self-determination and Freedom (AyL) | 135,361 | 0.95 | 2 | 2 |
| | Democratic Party of Mendoza (PD) | 126,769 | 0.89 | 1 | 2 |
| | Democratic Progressive Party (PDP) | 109,796 | 0.77 | 1 | 3 |
| | Socialist Workers' Party (PTS) | 105,836 | 0.74 | — | — |
| | Neighborhood Action Movement | 104,427 | 0.73 | — | — |
| | Republican Force (FR) | 103,447 | 0.72 | 1 | 2 |
| | Salta Renewal Party (PRS) | 95,001 | 0.66 | 1 | 2 |
| | Christian Democratic Party (PDC) | 81,092 | 0.57 | — | — |
| | Front of Social Integration for a Change in Freedom (FISCAL) | 74,002 | 0.52 | 1 | 1 |
| | Neuquén People's Movement (MPN) | 60,852 | 0.43 | 2 | 3 |
| | People's Reconstruction Party (PPR) | 53,580 | 0.37 | — | — |
| | Retirees in Action | 53,026 | 0.37 | — | — |
| | Corrientes Civic and Social Front | 44,954 | 0.31 | — | 1 |
| | Popular Renewal Front | 42,548 | 0.30 | — | — |
| | Movement for Dignity and Independence (MODIN) | 45,218 | 0.32 | — | — |
| | Constitutional Nationalist Party (PNC) | 34,275 | 0.24 | — | — |
| | Integration and Development Movement (MID) | 31,134 | 0.22 | — | — |
| | Labor Party | 30,767 | 0.22 | — | — |
| | United People's Front | 24,016 | 0.17 | — | — |
| | Chubut Action Party (PACH) | 21,891 | 0.15 | — | — |
| | Popular Movement for the Reconquest | 20,951 | 0.15 | — | — |
| | Buenos Aires Popular Movement (MOPOBO) | 20,741 | 0.15 | — | — |
| | Popular Action Movement | 20,312 | 0.14 | — | — |
| | United People's Front | 19,506 | 0.14 | — | — |
| | Development and Justice | 17,193 | 0.12 | — | — |
| | Change Córdoba | 15,725 | 0.11 | — | — |
| | For a New Jujuy | 14,676 | 0.10 | — | — |
| | Civic Renewal Movement | 13,292 | 0.09 | — | — |
| | Popular Front | 12,035 | 0.08 | — | — |
| | Río Negro Provincial Party (PPR) | 11,891 | 0.08 | — | — |
| | People's Patagonian Movement (MPP) | 11,589 | 0.08 | — | — |
| | Liberation Front | 10,788 | 0.08 | — | — |
| | Independent Democratic Movement | 9,659 | 0.07 | — | — |
| | Santa Cruz Federal Movement | 6,822 | 0.05 | — | — |
| | Social Democratic Party | 6,760 | 0.05 | — | — |
| | Memory and Participation | 6,432 | 0.05 | — | — |
| | Middle Generation Party | 6,395 | 0.04 | — | — |
| | Fueguian People's Movement (MOPOF) | 4,660 | 0.03 | — | — |
| | Fuegian Federal Party | 4,433 | 0.03 | — | — |
| | United People | 3,331 | 0.02 | — | — |
| | Provincial Civic Action | 2,891 | 0.02 | — | — |
| | New Leadership | 2,811 | 0.02 | — | — |
| | New Front | 90 | 0.00 | — | — |
| Total | Total | 14,290,108 | 100 | 127 | 257 |
| Positive votes | Positive votes | 14,290,108 | 76.02 | | |
| Blank votes | Blank votes | 2,022,587 | 10.76 | | |
| Invalid votes | Invalid votes | 2,486,296 | 13.23 | | |
| Total votes | Total votes | 18,798,991 | 100 | | |
| Registered voters/turnout | Registered voters/turnout | 24,907,838 | 75.47 | | |

### Senate

| Party | Party | Votes | % | Seats 2001-2003 | Seats 2001-2005 | Seats 2001-2007 | Total seats |
| | Justicialist Party (PJ) | 5,668,523 | 38.95 | 14 | 16 | 12 | 42 |
| | Alliance for Work, Justice and Education (Alianza) | 3,412,195 | 23.45 | 9 | 8 | 9 | 26 |
| | Alternative for a Republic of Equals (ARI) | 1,304,735 | 8.97 | — | — | — | — |
| | Social Pole | 630,309 | 4.33 | — | — | — | — |
| | United Left (IU) | 499,932 | 3.44 | — | — | — | — |
| | Humanist Party (PH) | 376,376 | 2.59 | — | — | — | — |
| | Federalist Unity Party (PAUFE) | 321.768 | 2,21 | — | — | — | — |
| | Union of the Democratic Centre (UCEDE) | 306,365 | 2.11 | — | — | — | — |
| | Workers' Party (PO) - Movement for Socialism (MAS) | 237,670 | 1.63 | — | — | — | — |
| | Action for the Republic (AR) | 159,611 | 1.10 | — | — | — | — |
| | Union for Buenos Aires Front (PJ + AR) | 150.291 | 1,03 | — | — | — | — |
| | Democratic Party of Mendoza (PD) | 127,343 | 0.88 | — | — | — | — |
| | Socialist Workers' Party (PTS) | 105,757 | 0.73 | — | — | — | — |
| | Democratic Progressive Party (PDP) | 104,411 | 0.72 | — | — | — | — |
| | Republican Force (FR) | 99,408 | 0.68 | 1 | — | — | 1 |
| | Salta Renewal Party (PRS) | 94,423 | 0.65 | — | — | 1 | 1 |
| | Self-determination and Freedom (AyL) | 92,647 | 0.64 | — | — | — | — |
| | Front of Social Integration for a Change in Freedom (FISCAL) | 87,354 | 0.60 | — | — | — | — |
| | Christian Democratic Party (PDC) | 67,149 | 0.46 | — | — | — | — |
| | Neuquén People's Movement (MPN) | 61,613 | 0.42 | — | — | 2 | 2 |
| | People's Reconstruction Party (PPR) | 53,140 | 0.37 | — | — | — | — |
| | Retirees in Action | 51,975 | 0.36 | — | — | — | — |
| | Corrientes Civic and Social Front | 46,202 | 0.32 | — | — | — | — |
| | Movement for Dignity and Independence (MODIN) | 44,781 | 0.31 | — | — | — | — |
| | Popular Renewal Front | 43,349 | 0.30 | — | — | — | — |
| | Integration and Development Movement (MID) | 35,520 | 0.24 | — | — | — | — |
| | Labor Party | 30,634 | 0.21 | — | — | — | — |
| | Constitutional Nationalist Party (PNC) | 29,294 | 0.20 | — | — | — | — |
| | Chubut Action Party (PACH) | 22,379 | 0.15 | — | — | — | — |
| | Popular Action Movement | 21,146 | 0.15 | — | — | — | — |
| | Popular Movement for the Reconquest | 21,030 | 0.14 | — | — | — | — |
| | Buenos Aires Popular Movement (MOPOBO) | 20,793 | 0.14 | — | — | — | — |
| | Native Action | 20,333 | 0.14 | — | — | — | — |
| | United People's Front | 19,646 | 0.14 | — | — | — | — |
| | Development and Justice | 18,183 | 0.12 | — | — | — | — |
| | Social Progress Party | 17,348 | 0.12 | — | — | — | — |
| | For a New Jujuy | 15,871 | 0.11 | — | — | — | — |
| | Change Córdoba | 15,501 | 0.11 | — | — | — | — |
| | Popular Front | 12,896 | 0.09 | — | — | — | — |
| | Civic Renewal Movement | 12,518 | 0.09 | — | — | — | — |
| | Río Negro Provincial Party (PPR) | 11,771 | 0.08 | — | — | — | — |
| | People's Patagonian Movement (MPP) | 11,547 | 0.08 | — | — | — | — |
| | Liberation Front | 10,464 | 0.07 | — | — | — | — |
| | Independent Democratic Movement | 10,343 | 0.07 | — | — | — | — |
| | Santa Cruz Federal Movement | 8,514 | 0.06 | — | — | — | — |
| | Memory and Participation | 6,582 | 0.05 | — | — | — | — |
| | Social Democratic Party | 6,462 | 0.04 | — | — | — | — |
| | Fuegian Federal Party | 6,330 | 0.04 | — | — | — | — |
| | Middle Generation Party | 6,192 | 0.04 | — | — | — | — |
| | United People | 3,246 | 0.02 | — | — | — | — |
| | Provincial Civic Action | 3,182 | 0.02 | — | — | — | — |
| | New Leadership | 2,764 | 0.02 | — | — | — | — |
| | Fueguian People's Movement (MOPOF) | 2,757 | 0.02 | — | — | — | — |
| | New Front | 93 | 0.00 | — | — | — | — |
| Total | Total | 14,550,666 | 100 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 72 |
| Positive votes | Positive votes | 14,550,666 | 77.38 | | | | |
| Blank votes | Blank votes | 1,732,861 | 9.22 | | | | |
| Invalid votes | Invalid votes | 2,519,441 | 13.40 | | | | |
| Total votes | Total votes | 18,802,968 | 100 | | | | |
| Registered voters/turnout | Registered voters/turnout | 24,907,838 | 75.49 | | | | |