Argentine President Javier Milei’s party cruised to victory in midterm legislative elections as voters backed his free-market reforms and deep austerity measures, providing a mandate for him to push forward with his radical overhaul of the economy.
The results will also likely be welcome news to U.S. President Donald Trump, whose administration recently provided Argentina with a hefty financial bailout but had threatened to pull away if Milei did not do well.
Analysts said the stronger-than-expected showing could reflect fear of renewed economic turmoil if the country abandoned Milei’s policies which, while painful at times, have succeeded in drastically slowing inflation.
The president’s party, La Libertad Avanza, scored 41.5% of the vote in Buenos Aires province compared with 40.8% for the Peronist coalition, according to official results. The province has long been a political stronghold for the Peronists, marking a dramatic political shift.
Nationwide, La Libertad Avanza got 64 seats in the House of Deputies, up from 37, according to government figures.
Half of Argentina’s lower Chamber of Deputies, or 127 seats, as well as a third of the Senate, or 24 seats, were up for election in the midterm vote. The Peronist opposition movement held the largest minority in both houses, overshadowing Milei’s relatively new party.
