Argentina will be commemorating its 40^th anniversary of uninterrupted democracy in 2023. This event is an opportunity to celebrate the achievements we have accomplished. We are a more inclusive country, which acknowledges and guarantees both civic and political rights. We eradicated political violence and made progress in providing equal opportunities through the passing of bills such as the same-sex marriage and the youth vote.

However, we have pending debts. From 1983 to 2020, we went through 9 economic crises –some of which lasted years. Our GDP per capita is currently the same as it was 40 years ago, and income inequality remains exactly as in 1986. Today, almost half of the population lives in poverty and almost 6 out of 10 kids and teenagers live in poor households.

In sum, we haven´t increased or improved the opportunities for future generations. It comes as no surprise that 65% of the surveyed population was dissatisfied with the functioning of democracy in 2018, the highest level of discontent since it has been measured.

The proximity of the 40^th anniversary coincides with the COVID-19 breakout and its economic, sanitary as well as social implications. We strongly believe that this crisis arises as an opportunity to promote discussions about what possible – and desirable – future we can pass on to this and forthcoming generations,

With this spirit, we launched Democracy 40 (#40D), a participatory, intergenerational and multi-stakeholder public dialogue process based on evidence about our country’s future. It aims to produce specific public policy recommendations that contribute to a sustained development strategy. To this end, it will identify the assets and pending debts, taking into account the constraints and making the most of the available resources through long-term policies that promote sustained development and inclusion.

The #40D process

Taking part in this initiative means getting involved in the creation of a development strategy for Argentina through three actions:

1. A collective design of the possible future

We promote the co-creation of possible future scenarios for our country, taking into account the assets and constraints of the present, in order to narrow the gap between probable and desirable futures. Through hosting multi-stakeholder events with the participation of young leaders, we will identify the roadmap towards a more inclusive, developed and prosperous future.

2. Intergenerational dialogues

The design of the agenda for the next 40 years must include the active participation of future generations, who will lead the country through the process of development and inclusion.
#40D will launch an online hub which will gather research, allow sponsored young leaders to organize thematic dialogues and host the Youth for the Future of Democracy contest – a call for the development of public good products that contribute to the strengthening of democracy and development.

3. Co-creation of roadmaps towards development

#40D will facilitate the co-creation of proposals for Argentina’s medium and long-term development through a combination of multi-stakeholder dialogues and applied research. CIPPEC will produce documents with recommendations and elaborate a roadmap, which will weigh up fiscal costs, institutional relevant aspects and the dynamics of political economy.
These documents will be published in 2023 and will be oriented towards the presidential candidates who will compete in that year’s election, as well as ministers and governors.

Strategic Board

The initiative will be externally advised by a Strategic Board. It will be structured based on pluralism, in terms of age and gender diversity, and federalism. Its members will have diverse profiles: they will be representatives of social movements, private sector, academia, international cooperation and civic organizations. They will be expected to:

• Provide a strategic vision about development priorities;
• Evaluate the implementation of the initiative components;
• Offer CIPPEC advice on how to boost the initiative impact;
• Identify and suggest strategic alliances between the initiative and diverse organizations;
• Review the quality and relevance of the public policy recommendations made throughout the process, and advise on its feasibility.