Milei dealt crushing defeat in Buenos Aires provincial election
3 Min Read
Milei’s austerity agenda faces rejection as voters punish him in Buenos Aires, exposing public anger over cuts, scandals, and economic strain.
-
President Javier Milei, left, and his sister, General Secretary of the Presidency Karina Milei, front right, appear after legislative provincial election polls closed in La Plata, Argentina, Sunday, Sept. 7, 2025 (AP)
Argentina’s libertarian President Javier Milei pledged Sunday to “accelerate” his reform drive after suffering a significant electoral defeat in Buenos Aires province, a critical test ahead of the midterm vote.
Since taking office in December 2023, the 54-year-old economist has overseen sweeping austerity measures, firing tens of thousands of public employees, cutting government spending, and pushing through extensive deregulation.
On Sunday night, however, Milei conceded his party’s “clear defeat” to the center-left Peronist movement in legislative elections for Buenos Aires province, the country’s economic heartland.
Visibly subdued, the president admitted to “mistakes” he promised to “correct”, but insisted his reform agenda would not be diluted. “We will deepen and accelerate it,” he declared at a quiet campaign event in Mar del Plata, a sharp contrast to his usual rock-music-charged rallies.
Peronists surge in bellwether province
With 91% of ballots counted, the Fuerza Patria coalition secured more than 47% of the vote, well ahead of Milei’s ruling La Libertad Avanza (LLA), which trailed just under 34%, according to official tallies.
The scale of the defeat, a 13-point gap, exceeded expectations, outpacing most pre-election forecasts. Voter participation was strong at roughly 63 percent.
Buenos Aires province, which generates over 30 percent of Argentina’s GDP and includes 40% of the electorate, is widely seen as a bellwether for national politics. The outcome poses a major challenge for Milei as he prepares for the midterm elections in six weeks.
Some within LLA sought to soften the blow, noting that despite the loss, the party managed to expand its presence in the provincial legislature.
Political scandals, economic strains
The election came amid turbulence for Milei’s administration, particularly following a corruption scandal at the National Disability Agency involving his sister and close advisor, Karina Milei.
Public anger boiled over late last month when Milei and his sister were pelted with stones during a campaign stop outside Buenos Aires, sparking clashes between supporters and opponents.
The defeat also followed a standoff with Congress, which days earlier overturned Milei’s veto of a law expanding disability allowances.
Economically, the president, who calls himself an “anarcho-capitalist”, is struggling to balance fiscal discipline with public discontent. While his government has scored points for bringing inflation down and eliminating the fiscal deficit, the peso has come under renewed pressure. Last week, the treasury began selling dollars to curb the currency’s depreciation, despite persistently high interest rates.
“We must learn from this (election defeat),” LLA candidate Diego Valenzuela told AFP, arguing the loss stemmed from refusing to engage in “economic populism, which is new in Argentina.”
His remarks underscored Milei’s ongoing battle with the Peronists, whom he blames for decades of economic mismanagement rooted in protectionism and excessive state spending.
