In This Article
30-Second Summary
Headline Links: President Kirchner faces economic concerns
Background: Kirchner interviewed, Argentina’s economic collapse, and Isabel Peron’s brief presidency
Reactions: Argentine media reactions and the status of women in the Americas
Historical Context: Argentina from colony to nation and the story of Eva Peron
Opinion & Analysis: The implications of Kirchner’s election
Related Topics: Powerful women around the world
Reference Material: Cristina Kirchner and the Peronists
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Argentina’s First Woman President-Elect Heralds Changing Attitudes in Latin America
November 02, 2007 04:03 PM
by
findingDulcinea Staff
As Argentina’s new president, Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner joins the ranks of women leaders around the world, taking control of an economy still recovering from its 2001 collapse.
30-Second Summary
On Oct. 29, 2007, Cristina Kirchner became the first woman to win an Argentine presidential election.
Technically, Isabel Peron was Argentina’s first woman president, but she was never elected. As vice president to her husband, Juan Peron, Isabel took office in June 1974 after he fell mortally ill.
Kirchner is the second woman in two years to be elected president of a South American nation. The first was the current Chilean president, Michelle Bachelet, who came to power in 2006.
In a region where traditional attitudes toward women are more likely to put them in the kitchen than on the Senate floor, Kirchner’s election underscores Latin America’s changing mores.
The Miami Herald reports that prominent politicians Blanca Ovelar of Paraguay and Dilma Roussef of Brazil are poised to enter their respective countries’ next presidential races.
In addition, the average wages of Latin American women living in urban areas have increased, rising from 70 percent of those of their male counterparts in 1990 to 90 percent in 2007.
And while Kirchner’s election has inevitably drawn comparisons between South America’s rising female politicians and the possibility of a Hillary Clinton White House, the United States lags behind much of the world when it comes to incorporating women in government.
Women only constitute 16.3 percent of the U.S. Congress, compared to 45 percent in Sweden and 49 percent in Rwanda. Fifty-eight women have served as elected prime ministers or presidents worldwide, but only one of those has come from the Northern Hemisphere—Kim Campbell was prime minister of Canada for less than six months in 1993.
Kirchner’s historic presidency faces a number of fiscal hurdles stemming from Argentina’s 2001 economic collapse.
Inflation is on the rise, and the government’s electricity price controls have discouraged utility investments, leading to widespread shortages.
Although Kirchner’s election is a significant step for female politicians worldwide, some analysts believe that her true test will be avoiding another economic crisis in Argentina.
Technically, Isabel Peron was Argentina’s first woman president, but she was never elected. As vice president to her husband, Juan Peron, Isabel took office in June 1974 after he fell mortally ill.
Kirchner is the second woman in two years to be elected president of a South American nation. The first was the current Chilean president, Michelle Bachelet, who came to power in 2006.
In a region where traditional attitudes toward women are more likely to put them in the kitchen than on the Senate floor, Kirchner’s election underscores Latin America’s changing mores.
The Miami Herald reports that prominent politicians Blanca Ovelar of Paraguay and Dilma Roussef of Brazil are poised to enter their respective countries’ next presidential races.
In addition, the average wages of Latin American women living in urban areas have increased, rising from 70 percent of those of their male counterparts in 1990 to 90 percent in 2007.
And while Kirchner’s election has inevitably drawn comparisons between South America’s rising female politicians and the possibility of a Hillary Clinton White House, the United States lags behind much of the world when it comes to incorporating women in government.
Women only constitute 16.3 percent of the U.S. Congress, compared to 45 percent in Sweden and 49 percent in Rwanda. Fifty-eight women have served as elected prime ministers or presidents worldwide, but only one of those has come from the Northern Hemisphere—Kim Campbell was prime minister of Canada for less than six months in 1993.
Kirchner’s historic presidency faces a number of fiscal hurdles stemming from Argentina’s 2001 economic collapse.
Inflation is on the rise, and the government’s electricity price controls have discouraged utility investments, leading to widespread shortages.
Although Kirchner’s election is a significant step for female politicians worldwide, some analysts believe that her true test will be avoiding another economic crisis in Argentina.
Headline Links: President Kirchner faces economic concerns
Kirchner is the second woman to be elected leader of a South American nation in two years, after Michelle Bachelet won the Chilean presidency last year. Kirchner is a member of the populist Peronist political movement, which under the leadership of her husband and former president Nestor Kirchner, has benefited from stronger relations with Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez.
Source: International Herald Tribune
The Fernandez presidency faces a number of economic concerns. Inflation is on the rise in Argentina despite price controls, with officials putting the rate at 8.6 percent. However, private economists say the rate could be as much as twice that. The government’s refusal to raise electricity prices has discouraged investment in a much-needed generating plant, creating shortages. Analysts say that support for the Kirchners among the middle class is declining.
Source: Financial Times
Background: Kirchner interviewed, Argentina’s economic collapse, and Isabel Peron’s brief presidency
Time magazine interviewed Kirchner in September 2007. Comparing her to both Eva Peron and Hillary Clinton, the article depicts Kirchner as a potential bridge between South America’s socialist bloc and the United States: “What makes Fernàndez a potential intermediary between the U.S. and Latin America's neo-lefties is that she's fluent in both political tongues. She came on the scene in the 1980s, when democracy returned in the wake of Argentina's bloody, far-right military junta, and her speeches are peppered with terms dear to Chàvez & Co., like ‘social justice’ and ‘popular sovereignty.’ But she also uses expressions from Washington's vocabulary, like ‘fiscal responsibility’ and ‘capitalistic rationality.’ And unlike Latin American leaders who accuse the U.S. of evil imperialist designs, she welcomes Washington's leadership in global affairs. ‘America has more than enough maturity and intelligence to start exercising its world leadership responsibly.’”
Source: Time
The Collapse of Argentina’s economy
In the 1990s, Wall Street considered Argentina to be one of the world’s hottest economies. Investment bankers, brokers and money managers made millions of dollars marketing the country’s stocks and bonds. But when Buenos Aires officially defaulted on most of its $141 billion debt in early 2002, Argentina’s economy went into a catastrophic tailspin that left over a fifth of the labor force unemployed, hurled millions into poverty, and made the country’s currency nearly worthless. The Washington Post examines the factors leading up to the collapse in its special report “Argentina Didn’t Fall on its Own.”
Source: The Washington Post
The Washington Post also offers a timeline of events leading up to and during Argentina’s economic collapse.
Source: The Washington Post
The presidency of Isabel Peron
Maria Estela Isabel Martinez de Peron first took office in 1974, after her husband—Argentine President Juan Peron—fell deathly ill. Isabel’s presidency was marred with labor strikes and political violence until a military junta deposed her in 1976. As Juan Peron’s third wife, Isabel failed to win the hearts and minds of the Argentine public. As a result, Isabel lived in the shadow of Peron’s iconic second wife, Eva Peron.
Source: The BBC
Reactions: Argentine media reactions and the status of women in the Americas
Commenting on Kirchner’s first public declarations as president, Argentina’s La Nacion newspaper wrote that “she called on all Argentines, regardless of their political hue, to begin a period ‘without hatred or bitterness’ in order to ‘rebuild the social and institutional fabric’ ... The broad nature of the call by the Argentines' future president is a positive step at a time when cracks are starting to appear in Argentine society.” The Buenos Aires Herald was cautious with its praise of Kirchner, pointing to the challenges that lay ahead: “If Cristina Kirchner has already improved on Argentina's only other woman president, Isabel Peron, by being elected in her own right, she has yet to prove her superiority over Isabel by bringing her term to a successful close.” The BBC has a roundup of reactions in the Latin American press.
Source: The BBC
The status of women in the Americas
Women in Latin America are quickly turning the region’s reputation as a bastion of machismo on its head. By many accounts president-elects Michelle Bachelet and Cristina Kirchner are the first of a growing number of South American women vying for political power. Paraguay’s former Education Minister Blanca Ovelar is expected to be a top candidate in next April’s presidential race, and Dilma Roussef of Brazil has emerged as a potential front-runner for the 2010 presidential race. The average wage of Latin American women living in urban areas has also risen from 70 percent of men’s in 1990 to 90 percent this year. In comparison, women in the United States earned an average 77 percent of what men earned in 2006.
Source: The Miami Herald
In a further indication of Latin America’s changing attitudes, Chilean president Michelle Bachelet has signed a bill placing gender quotas on the country’s political parties. Aimed at encouraging female participation in the political process, the legislation states that the leadership of any party must not be more than 70 percent male or female. “We are creating a law that will promote equal political participation by men and women,” Bachelet is quoted as saying. “We are taking another step to guarantee and strengthen the rights and opportunities of women in civic, political and institutional life, and in public service.” The bill will now be debated in Santiago’s Chamber of Deputies and Senate.
Source: The Santiago Times
In an article comparing Cristina Kirchner and Hillary Clinton, The Nation argues that women in the United States enjoy less political clout than in many other areas of the world: “The state of affairs for women in politics in the United States is in some ways lagging. Only 16 percent of our members of Congress are women, compared to 45 percent in Sweden and 49 percent in Rwanda. Fifty-eight women have served as an elected prime minister or president, with only one coming from the Northern Hemisphere (Kim Campbell, prime minister of Canada for less than six months.)”
Source: Hillary and Cristina
According to 2007 statistics compiled by the Center for American Women and Politics, women occupy 87 of the total 535 positions in the current Congress. Sixteen of those 87 are found in the 100-seat Senate, and the other 71 sit in the House of Representatives. In total, women occupy only 16.3 percent of the U.S. Congress. The CAWP also provides detailed statistics on the role of women in each of the country’s state governments.
Source: Center for American Women and Politics
Historical Context: Argentina from colony to nation and the story of Eva Peron
The area that comprises modern-day Argentina was first colonized by Spain in the 16th century. In the early 19th century, a combination of the Napoleonic invasion of Spain and British attacks on Buenos Aires triggered an independence movement that did not see the Spanish fully defeated until 1824. The Economist provides historical, economic and political information on Argentina.
Source: The Economist
Comparisons between Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner and the famous first lady of Argentine president Juan Domingo Peron, Maria Eva Duarte de Peron—better known as Eva or Evita—have been commonplace since Kirchner announced her candidacy. Eva Peron was born in rural Los Toldos, Argentina, and moved to Buenos Aires at the age of 15 to pursue a career as an actress. After meeting at a charity event in 1944, Eva and Juan Peron married in 1945. As first lady, Eva quickly developed her political acumen, becoming both a powerful force within the Peronist party and a galvanizing public figurehead for social justice. In 1952, shortly before her death, Eva Peron was given the official title “Spiritual Leader of the Nation.”
Source: The Evita Peron Historical Research Foundation
Opinion & Analysis: The implications of Kirchner’s election
Investor’s Business Daily writes that Kirchner’s election signals a change for South America’s emergent leftist bloc: “The media exuberantly painted CFK's victory as a victory for women, but that was irrelevant. They might have done better to look at voter apathy, which was up sharply. If projecting a glamorous image over directly selling socialism was what it took to win most of the vote, what does that say for the power of the idea … The victory of Argentina's first lady may mean more of the same leftist remedies for Argentina. But it's a diminished leftism that may signal the end of the trend. Given that Argentina was the starting point for Latin America's big push leftward, this may portend changes for much of the region. When the packaging gets more popular than the platform, it's time to watch for the winds to shift.”
Source: Investor’s Business Daily
The effect on Argentine-U.S. relations
Before Kirchner had locked in her presidential victory, the Heritage Foundation, a U.S. think tank, offered its predictions as to how her election would affect U.S.-Argentine relations. James M. Roberts writes, “Cristina Fernandez would most likely continue the leftward drift of Argentina and its cozy relationship with Venezuelan dictator-President Hugo Chávez. Chávez has sent billions of dollars of Venezuela's oil wealth to bail out Argentina's debts; Argentina's credit rating has yet to recover from the major default the government declared in 2002 … There is little hope for the economic liberalization so desperately needed in the Argentine economy. Once the showcase of Latin America, the economy has fallen further and further behind as a result of bad policies. The Bush administration, with few good options for direct engagement, will need to rely on building strong relations with Argentina's neighbors and other Latin American countries that are still resistant to Chavista populist appeal.”
Source: The Heritage Foundation
Doubts about Kirchner
In an op-ed titled “New President, Old Cycle,” The Washington Post expresses skepticism regarding Kirchner’s ability to reform Argentina: “Now Ms. Fernandez de Kirchner, who conducted her campaign without participating in a debate or even holding a news conference, must make a crucial decision. She can use her mandate to deliver the tough medicine the economy needs—including energy price and interest rate increases, a revaluation of the currency and a reconciliation with the International Monetary Fund, which holds the key to renewed foreign investment. Or she can pursue her husband's populist course until it produces another crash. Ms. Fernandez de Kirchner is a seasoned politician with more interest in the outside world than her predecessor. But it will be a pleasant surprise if she avoids repeating history.”
Source: The Washington Post
The Latin Business Chronicle is doubtful that the sort of economic policy changes sought by foreign investors will be realized in coming years. Jerry Haar, a professor of management and international business at Florida International University, told the Chronicle that investors “shouldn’t expect anything radical … She has no intention of throwing out the economic policies of the man she sleeps with.” Claudio Loser, former head of the Western Hemisphere division of the International Monetary Fund, said that “Ms. Fernandez Kirchner is supported by the same power base as [former] President Kirchner, and thus has currently limited room to change policies, particularly as her relation with labor unions is tenuous.”
Source: Latin Business Chronicle (subscription required)
An Oct. 30, 2007, Financial Times editorial underscores some of the perceived problems with Kirchner and her Peronist party: “The government has ruled in semi-authoritarian fashion, relying on decree powers to push through important pieces of legislation. It has reinforced political ties with local politicians through the disbursement of state funds and spending has risen sharply during the election campaign. The public administration and judiciary have become politicized and their independence undermined. Even such basic statistics as official inflation figures are now no longer reliable because of government meddling … it remains open to question whether a politician so steeped in the top-down traditions of the Peronist party can lead the process of genuine change that Argentina needs.”
Source: Financial Times
Comparing Cristina and Hillary
Andres Oppenheimer of The Miami Herald gives little credence to comparisons between Argentina’s new president-elect and Hillary Clinton. Oppenheimer writes, “Unlike Hillary, Sen. Fernández de Kirchner is running for president as the wife of a sitting president, who has put his government's massive resources … at her disposal. According to a report issued last week from the Committee to Protect Journalists (in the interests of full disclosure, on whose board I sit), in the months leading to Sunday's elections, the Kirchner government … spent $51 million in official advertising—63 percent more than last year.”
Source: The Miami Herald
Related Topics: Powerful women around the world
Michelle Bachelet
In March 2006, Chile elected its first female president—Michelle Bachelet. A socialist, pediatrician and former health and defense minister, Bachelet has helped Chile develop the best fiscal performance in Latin America. Forbes provides a short profile of Bachelet as part of its “100 Most Powerful Women” feature.
Source: Forbes
On Jan. 25, 2006, PBS’s NewsHour interviewed Bachelet about her plans for the presidency. When asked about her feelings toward the United States, Bachelet answered, “My first contact with [the] United States when I was 12 and my father was in the Air Force Mission there in Washington, DC, and it was very surprising for me to see that in the United States nobody knew anything about Chile. And I was —They thought we lived in—like—Indian houses, things like that. So it was very strange for me that such a huge and powerful country knew so little about so many, many countries. But I had a wonderful life there; I had good friends. I enjoyed a lot going to public libraries. I read every book of M. Louise Alcott—you know, ‘Little Women’ and so on. I was really happy.”
Source: PBS NewsHour
Benazir Bhutto
Benazir Bhutto became the first woman to head the government of an Islamic Republic when she was sworn in as the prime minister of Pakistan in 1988. Born in 1953 in Karachi, Pakistan, she left her home at age 16 to study at Radcliffe College, today part of Harvard University. After completing her undergraduate degree at Radcliffe, then earning an additional degree at England’s Oxford University, Bhutto returned to Pakistan in 1977 where her father had been elected prime minister. However, within days of her return the Pakistani military had seized control of the government, imprisoning her father until his hanging in 1979. Bhutto has twice been elected prime minister, in 1988 and 1993, only to be dismissed from her office. From 1996 to 2007 Bhutto and her family lived in exile in London.
Source: The Academy of Achievement
Angela Merkel
Angela Merkel was elected Germany’s first woman chancellor in 2005. Leader of the conservative Christian Democratic Union (CDU), Merkel has enjoyed relative success since being elected. According to Forbes, she recently received a 75 percent approval rating, with Germany currently enjoying a five-year low in unemployment. Forbes named Merkel the most powerful woman in the world for 2007.
Source: Forbes
Merkel was born to a Lutheran pastor and a schoolteacher on July 17, 1954, in Hamburg, Germany. She studied physics at the University of Leipzig, and later worked as a chemist at the Central Institute for Physical Chemistry, Academy of Sciences. The Biography Channel provides a concise summary of Merkel’s early life.
Source: The Biography Channel
Tarja Kaarina Halonen
Tarja Kaarina Halonen was elected Finland’s first female president in 2000. Halonen was born in 1943, and holds a law degree from the University of Helsinki. She is a member of the Social Democratic Party, and began her political career as the parliamentary secretary to the prime minister in 1973. She was first elected to parliament in 1979, where she held her position for five consecutive terms before assuming the presidency.
Source: Columbia University’s World Leader Forum
Forbes—who ranked Halonen the 50th most powerful woman in the world—writes that the Finnish president is a European Union advocate who opposes membership in the North American Trade Organization. In April 2007, Finland appointed the most female-dominated cabinet in the world with 12 of 20 ministers being female.
Source: Forbes
Reference Material: Cristina Kirchner and the Peronists
Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner was born on Feb. 19, 1953, in the La Plata region of Buenos Aires. She met her husband, Nestor, while attending law school in La Plata, where they were both activists in the Peronist movement. Kirchner began her political career in the late 1980s, first as a provincial then as a national deputy. By the time her husband became president in 2003, Kirchner had already been elected to Congress. The BBC provides a short profile of Kirchner’s political career.
Source: The BBC
The Peronists have dominated Argentine politics since 1946. Traditionally, the party has drawn most of its support from the low- and middle-income social classes. In 2005 the president’s husband, Nestor Kirchner, created his own Peronist faction called the Frente para la Victoria (FV). The Economist provides a concise summary of the political forces working in Argentina.
Source: The Economist
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