We live in a perversion of politics where media attire and popularity drag have supplanted merit. When figures like Karen Reichardt or former entertainment stars appear on ballots not because of conviction or preparation but because of their superficial brilliance, politics degrades and the republic falters. Democracy demands competition, not cheap spectacle.
Today the practice is crude: a famous name is placed at the top of a list so that the ballot “pulls.” It doesn’t matter if you lack ideas, reading, history or the ability to debate. That person “brings votes”, even if he never exercises the position with dignity. They call it the “carryover effect,” but it is a political scam.
In 2025 we saw this with Virginia Gallardo, Porcel Jr., Karen Reichardt and other media faces that emerge on the ballots as electoral bait.
But drag does not legitimize, it only disguises the weakness of the parties. And these parties, by legitimizing the use of the show over the content, condemn the country to an intellectual vacuum.
When someone rises to a bench without knowledge, without rigor, the days of politics become just a scene, and Congress a forwarded channel of slogans.
This impoverishes the debate, nullifies the legislative processes and reduces everything to easy but empty phrases.
The media figure who has not studied political science, who does not even know Argentine history beyond a tweet, cannot and should not represent. Because governing is not acting: it is reasoning. And when we reward posturing over ability, we enthrone mediocrity.
Beyond the ruling of the National Electoral Chamber that gave him air, Santilli represents the politics that the Argentina that we want to recompose deserves: a politics forged over time, with study, training and real political combat.
It didn’t come from the show or the rating: it comes from the institutional exercise.
If this country ever wants to get out of the swamp, we must recover the value of profound words, of honest public entrepreneurs and the leadership that has done real politics. Santilli embodies that: they didn’t choose him for fame, they chose him for political weight. That is a rarity today.
And it’s not just the drag: there are also candidates that no one thinks will really take over (testimonials). Some are going to “put up a face” to complete lists, without the intention of legislating. That is an institutional outrage. When candidates come as a decoy, the citizen’s vote is betrayed.
We do not believe in a system where we play with the symbol, not the substance.
If Argentina wants to heal, it must once again elevate those who know—not just those who shine. The republic is built from intellectual commitment, not from television. Today, there are very few of us who believe that deep debate matters. But without that core of responsibility, politics becomes a circus and the State becomes a stage set.
We need to cultivate a new elite of thought and action. Until we do, we will continue to vote empty mirrors.
Source: Ambito
David William is a talented author who has made a name for himself in the world of writing. He is a professional author who writes on a wide range of topics, from general interest to opinion news. David is currently working as a writer at 24 hours worlds where he brings his unique perspective and in-depth research to his articles, making them both informative and engaging.
