Argentina President Javier Milei suffered a hard blow on Sunday (7) with the defeat against Peronism during the legislative elections of Buenos Aires Province.
In the region, where more than 37% of voters in the country are concentrated, the ruling group La Libertad Avanza (LLA) was 13 points behind the front of Pererza Patria, which features names such as Axel Kicillof, Cristina Kirchner and Sergio Massa.
Called 84% of the ballot boxes, Fuerza Patria got 46.93%, against the 33% of the LLA, and imposed on the country’s main electoral stronghold, earning six of the eight sections. The fall was harder than expected for President Javier Milei, according to the newspaper The nation.
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Legacy Card: Far beyond a service
The Buenos Aires Province Electoral Council announced that 63% of registered voters voted in the provincial legislative elections. The electoral sessions were closed at 18h and the first results began to be released from 9 pm.
Milei: Elections in Argentina
Participation surprised the initial predictions and indicates that Argentines will also vote massively in national legislative elections, scheduled for October 26.
The claim in Buenos Aires province gained importance in recent weeks after a corruption scandal that shook the government of Javier Milei, a stagnant economy and a veto to increase retirees and people with disabilities.
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- In this election will be elected 46 deputies and 23 local senators – it would be like state deputies in Brazil, but in a bicameral system.
- In terms of electorate, the province of Buenos Aires – which is different from the federal capital Buenos Aires – would be similar to the state of São Paulo, as it concentrates 14 million voters in a country of 45 million.
Therefore, the election became an open dispute between Milei and the governor of Buenos Aires, Axel Kicillof, one of the most important kirchnerists of today and potential presidential candidate in 2027.
Peronism gains space
Until 15 days ago, several of the polls of voting intended to give advantages unprecedented to the libertarian candidates – aligned with the government – in seven of the eight in dispute sections.
The only place where there was a draw was in district number 3, the second largest in electorate and the largest peronist stronghold in the country. But problems related to the economy and allegations of corruption have impaired government popularity.
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Survey hired by the Milei administration pointed to a draw in most districts, while opposing polls saw up to five points for Peronism.
After a strong recession followed by a surprising recovery to the point of achieving consecutive historical surpluses, the Argentine economy went into stagnation mode.
After reaching 25% in January 2024, Argentine inflation retreated to 2% per month, according to the last data, but still follows at 36% in the interannual rate. Economists say inflation has stagnated, but on a level still high.
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In addition, pensions and pensions for people with disabilities are far below the minimum for the basic basket, and the president’s vetoes to readjust the values have even displeased his electoral base and in Congress.
Because of one of these vetoes, Milei and his deputy Victoria Villarruel publicly broke.
The respected rate of confidence in the government, measured by the Torcuato di Tella University, also gave negative news to the government.
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- Milei management approval fell by 13.6% in August compared to the previous month. Already compared to August last year, the retreat was 16.5%, one of the largest falls so far.
Corruption scandal
This bad scenario adds to the corruption scandal involving the president’s sister, Karina Milei, also secretary general of the presidency.
According to audios leaked by another government official, about 8% of drug purchase values for people with disabilities would have been destined for illicit payments, of which 3% allegedly went to Karina.
She voted on Sunday afternoon with a Freedom Party militants escort and talked little to journalists.
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Peronists are divided
Already the supporters of former president of Argentina Cristina Kirchner were divided between the home of the peronist leader, who meets house arrest, and the Praça Prais Father Campaign Committee in La Plata, the capital of the province.
Governor Axel Kicillof summoned the peronists to meet at the Campaign Committee, while the maximum deputy Kirchner, son of Cristina, went to the former president’s house in the Constricón neighborhood of the capital, Buenos Aires, where he also convened his militancy.
Maximum is the leader of a farther dissent within the peronism called La Carampora.
Although he is a peronist-kirchnerist, Kicillof starred in open disputes with maximum, exposing a split within the movement.
