How does political competition persist in dominant party systems? A case study of contained pluralism

This article addresses a key puzzle in comparative politics: how political competition persists in subnational dominant party systems without producing turnover. While existing scholarship attributes durability to rentierism or institutional manipulation, it struggles to explain sustained opposition activity and high participation. We examine Formosa, Argentina, governed by the Justicialist Party for over three decades, using archival research, 20 elite interviews and electoral data (2001–2021). We propose ‘contained pluralism’, whereby institutional design and electoral rules channel competition into non-executive offices. This strategy preserves a competitive façade, manages dissent and maintains high engagement while securing continuous executive dominance.