President Won’t Seek Third Term

Ending months of speculation, President Carlos Menem renounced his intention to seek a third straight term in next year’s presidential race. The question of whether Menem would seek another term has dominated Argentine politics for most of the year, creating friction in his Peronist party and stalling important legislation. A third term would have required a constitutional amendment or a special Supreme Court ruling. His term ends Dec. 10, 1999, and the constitution currently bars him from running again. Menem was elected in 1989 for a single, six-year term. The constitution was amended to allow him to run for a second, four-year term.