This paper analyzes the relationship between social movements, state and government, from the theoretical perspective proposed by René Zavaleta, on the basis of his concepts of 'primary form' and 'constitutive moment'. Based on fieldwork with observation and in-depth interviews with two social movements, one of them autonomist and the other one national-popular, the result of the analysis confirms the profound reformulation in the relationship between social movements and State which took place since the institutional relegitimation that occurred under the governments of Nestor Kirchner and Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner between 2003 and 2015 in Argentina. Hence the article concludes that, beyond the political-ideological inscription of social movements, the kirchnerist phase constitutes itself as a new 'constitutive moment' in the relationship between State and social movements, changing strategic and tactical aspects of the relationship of these movements regarding the institutional sphere.