Peronism withdraws from the discussion on diets in the Senate and leaves the conflict in the hands of Victoria Villarruel and the dialoguers.

While Congressional unions are redoubling pressure to reopen collective bargaining and update legislative staff salaries, the Senate is facing a new front of conflict. The Frente de Todos bloc announced in the last few hours that it will no longer participate in any further votes related to legislators' salaries and left the decision in the hands of the ruling party, the dialogue blocs, and Vice President Victoria Villarruel .

With senators' salaries tied to the raises received by congressional employees, any parity agreement could directly impact their per diem allowances, currently at more than $9 million gross. The political infighting, far from calming down, is stirring with score-setting, cross-accusations, and a decision that shakes up the legislative board.

The weariness within Peronism is nothing new, but it's now reached a breaking point. "They've fed up with us. Let them do whatever they want," declared a senator close to the inter-block led by José Mayans . The decision, while it can be interpreted as an act of strategic disengagement, also implies a move that places the political burden of the increase on the blocks that usually present themselves as defenders of austerity.

The Libertarians, along with sectors of the PRO and UCR parties, will be exposed to increasing pressure amid union demands, while Villarruel will have to maneuver in a Chamber where the parity of forces complicates any decision. The immediate precedent is the failed handling of the Clean Record, which deepened the distrust between the parties.

In April 2024, the ruling party and the opposition sealed a silent agreement that reformulated the per diem scheme, tying it to the same module used by Congressional employees. Added to this were additional allowances for representation and displacement, as well as an annual allowance to simulate a Christmas bonus. Since then, the senators' gross income has exceeded $7 million per month, a figure that has climbed with the latest updates.

Alicia Kirchner was the only senator who rejected this plan and opted to maintain her retirement. The rest, including those who now denounce the cynicism of others, aligned themselves without objection to the new regime. During the second half of last year, salaries were frozen until December, and then Villarruel extended the freeze until March of this year.

Since then, the issue has been in limbo. With the freeze expired and no agreement to move forward with a new resolution, speculation has multiplied. There were attempts to implement the increase with the new module and then refreeze it, but even that option failed.

The Frente de Todos's decision now leaves 34 seats with no interest in participating. The remaining 38 legislators, including Libertarians, PRO (Progressive Party), Radicals, and provincial legislators, must define a common position. But recent precedents do not inspire confidence: the cases of Carlos Arce and Sonia Rojas Decut , from Misiones, who voted against the Clean Record, or that of Carambia and Gadano , from Santa Cruz, who refused to support the appointment of the new administrative secretary, reflect an increasingly unpredictable Chamber.

At the same time, the unions are seeking to reopen salary discussions. The APL union, led by Norberto Di Próspero, successfully persuaded the Frente de Todos (Front of All) to submit notes to Villarruel and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Martín Menem , to open a negotiating table. This move exposes the union's passivity, but also the political dependence of its demands.

Tensions are also growing in the halls of Congress over recent appointments and administrative errors. An advisor close to Villarruel was accused of management failures, while an injunction filed by APL over income tax withholdings remains in effect. The climate between the parties was deeply damaged by the Clean Record scandal, further complicating any possibility of an agreement.

On Thursday, a message from Human Resources brought some relief: it announced recategorizations and reminded people of pending benefits. But the underlying conflict remains intact. With the Frente de Todos removed from the scene, and the union pressuring from the shadows, the ball has fallen into Villarruel's court and the dialogue leaders. If they don't respond, the political cost will no longer be shared.