Argentina’s President Javier Milei has achieved a landmark victory in the country’s mid-term elections, with his party, La Libertad Avanza, significantly increasing its presence in the national legislature. The party secured 101 seats in the lower house and 20 in the upper house, marking a threefold increase from previous elections. This outcome strengthens Milei’s position to implement his austerity-driven agenda, which has faced intense scrutiny due to its economic consequences.
The mid-term elections, held on Sunday, saw a historically low voter turnout of just under 68%, despite voting being mandatory in Argentina. La Libertad Avanza narrowly outperformed the left-wing Peronist party, Fuerza Patria, securing nearly 41% of the votes compared to 31.7% for the opposition. Analysts had predicted a weaker performance by Milei’s party due to the fallout from his reforms, including the deepening economic crisis and corruption scandals, such as allegations of bribery involving Milei’s sister, Karina.
Milei’s austerity measures, introduced during his first two years in office, have led to the dismissal of tens of thousands of public officials and significant cuts to public spending on infrastructure, education, healthcare, and other sectors. While these actions have succeeded in lowering Argentine inflation, they have also triggered a decline in employment, business closures, and the depletion of the country’s dollar reserves, despite a $20 billion loan from the International Monetary Fund.
The election outcome also coincided with U.S. President Donald Trump’s earlier public stance of conditioning a $40 billion aid package on Milei’s performance. Trump had openly threatened to withdraw support for the Argentinian leader if his party failed to perform well in the mid-terms. Following the results, Trump expressed satisfaction with the outcome, describing Milei as a “great friend” and praising his “wonderful job” in managing Argentina’s economic challenges. This aligns with ongoing U.S. interest in shaping Argentina’s economic policy, which is further complicated by the nation’s fluctuating currency and international trade relations.