18/06/2026 09:50 - Politica
Vista interior del Salón de los Escudos en Casa de Gobierno de Entre Ríos durante una sesión legislativa sobre reforma previsional, con senadores y representantes gremiales debatiendo, ambiente formal con banderas argentinas y escudos provinciales en las paredes.
The Senate of Entre Ríos—a province located in northeastern Argentina, bordering Uruguay—has become the epicenter of one of the year's most significant discussions: the reform of the provincial pension system. Representatives from the Association of the Judiciary and Judicial Function, the Professional Council of Economic Sciences, UPCN (National Civil Personnel Union), and APS (Municipal Superior Personnel Association) presented their observations before the Budget and Finance Committee and the Constitutional Affairs Committee.
The bill, promoted by Governor Rogelio Frigerio, seeks to modify core aspects of the Pension and Retirement Fund of Entre Ríos, which presents the most pronounced deficit among the 13 provincial pension systems that were not transferred to the National Administration.
Alejandro Cánepa, president of the Association of the Judiciary and Judicial Function, specifically requested the elimination of Article 8 of the bill, which limits the possibility of judicial action against aspects of the reform. According to him, this provision's "unconstitutionality is obvious."
One of the most criticized points was the declaration of a pension emergency included in the project. "The emergency chapter contaminates the pension reform," Cánepa stated, arguing that the proposed emergency is "partial" and lacks constitutional and jurisprudential support.
The magistrate also questioned the delegation of legislative powers to the Executive Branch for determining benefits. "Salaries cannot be left subject to the Executive Branch," he emphasized.
The Professional Council of Economic Sciences of Entre Ríos raised fundamental technical observations. Lisandro Tomé warned about the calculation of initial benefits based on an average of 20 years of contributions: "If we create an initial calculation that doesn't maintain the same living conditions you had while active, each retiree equals a lawsuit."
As an alternative, he proposed replacing that criterion with a formula based on the 15 best years of contributions (180 months), calculated with values in effect at the time of labor cessation.
| Aspect | Current Calculation | Proposed Calculation |
|---|---|---|
| Initial Benefit | 20-year average | 15 best years (180 months) |
| Benefit Adjustment | Depends on effective income | Consumer Price Index (CPI) |
| Update Period | Minimum 60 business days | Current 60 calendar days |
Javier Núñez Souza acknowledged the complex financial situation of the Fund and warned that the persistent deficit "could lead to greater tax burdens for different sectors of the economy."
The deputy secretary of UPCN, Carina Domínguez, requested maintaining the requirement of 30 years of contributions and that the initial benefit calculation be based on the last 120 months of activity. She pointed out that extending the calculation to 240 months is "unnecessary at this moment of uncertainty, low wages, and economic crises."
UPCN also questioned the increase in personal pension contributions to an additional 8% in an emergency context. "An 8% plus the 19% already applied is 27%, that's more than a quarter of the salary. That's confiscation," Domínguez claimed.
The general secretary of APS, Alejandra Levrand, detailed the impact on public service workers with high physical wear: "I find it hard to think about workers who collect garbage because they would be doing so at 65 and 68 years of age." She also mentioned sanitation workers who work submerged in water and daycare teachers.
One of the most controversial points is the equalization of retirement age between men and women, set at 65 years for both sexes. Levrand described this measure as "negative discrimination for us" by not considering unpaid care work that falls predominantly on women.
The former secretary general of AGMER (Association of Teachers of Entre Ríos), César Baudino, was more blunt: "There is an attack on special regimes, and there is a truly authoritarian attack, from dinosaurs, from the prevailing machismo in our society, suggesting that women will have equality because they will be involved in the same tune as men at 65, 68 years old."
Baudino pointed out that two-thirds of retirees are women and that the reform ignores multiple jobs and care tasks they perform.
Senator Rafael Cavagna (Juntos por Entre Ríos coalition—"Together for Entre Ríos") defended the reform as a necessary response to a "structurally unbalanced" system. "The worst we can do is do nothing with our pension system," he stated.
Cavagna explained that the process began with actuarial reports to determine the debt the National State maintains with Entre Ríos, which resulted in a lawsuit before the Supreme Court. "We are four to one with ANSES (National Social Security Administration). For every four recognitions coming from the Nation to the Fund, one goes to another system. There has been no effective transfer of funds in the last 10 years," he affirmed.
The senator insisted that the bill remains open to modifications and ruled out new tax burdens: "We are talking about pension law reform. Today, to pay retirements, for every 10 pesos, we have to ask for 4 pesos from the provincial treasury's general revenues."
One of the central issues in the debate is the debt owed by the National State to the provincial Pension Fund. According to the Entre Ríos government, there are funds that the Nation recognizes but does not effectively transfer. The claim is currently before the Supreme Court of Justice.
The pension emergency project has a deadline until December 31, 2027, although the article allows for subsequent extensions by Executive decision.
Next week, the round of presentations before the legislative committees will continue, with the participation of new sectors linked to the pension system. The appearance of former presidents of the Fund such as Daniel Elías and Edgardo Scarione is expected.
The debate is framed in Article 35 of the provincial Constitution, which establishes collective responsibility for the State to be efficient and find fiscal balances.
Sources: El Once, Análisis Digital, APFDigital
Alfredo S. Quiroga
