On Sunday, October 26, the legislative elections marked the end of an era in Congress. With the closing of lists, a dozen emblematic figures from different spaces are left outside the Legislative Palace, ending their mandates on December 9. From historical Kirchnerist leaders to former Macrista governors and radical leaders, these departures leave a void in key debates about the economy, rights and public policies. The change reflects both electoral wear and personal decisions and movements towards other areas.
In Unión por la Patria, the most notable case is that of Leopoldo Moreau, 78 years old, who has almost three decades of parliamentary activity: he debuted in the Deputies in 1983, went to the Senate between 1995 and 2001 and returned to the Lower House on several occasions, with a break between 2005 and 2009. A central figure of Kirchnerism, he was not included in the lists and says goodbye without a known public destination.
Another reference who is leaving is Carlos Heller, deputy since 2009 without interruption. An exponent of cooperativism and a key voice in social economy initiatives, he will not seek to renew his bench after 16 years active in commissions and sessions. Daniel Arroyo and Daniel Gollán—former Ministers of Social Development and Health—also leave Congress, while Leandro Santoro will migrate to the Buenos Aires Legislature. In the Senate, Oscar Parrilli, a close collaborator of Cristina Fernández de Kirchner, chose not to compete and ends his time as a representative of the hard core K.
On the side of the PRO and Macrismo, Silvia Lospennato leaves the Deputies to take up a position in the Buenos Aires Legislature. María Eugenia Vidal, former governor of Buenos Aires, is left off the lists, as are Luciano Laspina—a key player in budget debates—and Gerardo Milman, linked to Patricia Bullrich. In the Upper House, Guadalupe Tagliaferri and Alfredo de Angeli, a ruralist reference and president of the yellow bloc, do not continue either.
The UCR also loses central figures: Rodrigo De Loredo, head of the radical bloc; Martín Tetaz, economist of sharp interventions; Julio Cobos, former vice president remembered for his “no positive” vote in 2010; and Facundo Manes, promoter of mental health initiatives. Meanwhile, the president of the party, Martín Lousteau, leaves the Senate to compete for a seat in the Deputies.
Finally, Juan Carlos Romero from Salta closes four terms in the Senate (1987-1995, 2007-2019 and 2019-2025), in addition to his legacy as three-time governor of Salta. At 78 years old, he chooses not to seek re-election.
These departures not only reconfigure internal forces, but also close chapters of long legislative trajectories. A more fragmented Congress with new figures now faces the challenge of taking the place of those who defined decisive discussions in recent decades.
