Hermes Binner sworn in as Governor of Santa Fe

Hermes Binner, the first Socialist governor in the history of Argentina, took office on 11 December during a ceremony in which Binner called for a rethinking of democracy as “the democracy we have today does not suffice, we need to change it”.

Binner, representing a coalition of forces which includes SI member parties, the Socialist Party, PS, and the Radical Civic Union, UCR, was elected on 2 September with 48,59% of the vote, taking the province away from 24 years of peronist rule.

Speaking at his inauguration, Binner invited inhabitants to bring about change in Santa Fe: “We need to build a state that is closer to the reality of the people”, he declared, adding “Reality is not going to change by decree, law or constitutional imperative. It is going to change if we take solidarity, participation and transparency as our basic values.”