Javier Milei Triumphs in Argentine Midterm Elections, Strengthens Grip on Power Backed by Trump

Argentina’s libertarian President Javier Milei has scored a resounding victory in the country’s midterm elections, tightening his grip on power and securing the mandate he needs to push ahead with his radical free-market reforms. Milei’s La Libertad Avanza party captured over 40 percent of the national vote, sweeping six of eight provinces and expanding its representation to 101 seats in the lower house and 20 in the Senate. The result marks a major blow to Argentina’s Peronist opposition, which won just 31 percent, its weakest performance in years. The decisive win gives Milei the numbers to block impeachment, enforce vetoes, and fast-track his austerity and tax reforms, buoyed by billions in backing from the Trump administration. Speaking to supporters in Buenos Aires, Milei declared, “Argentina has left decadence behind and chosen progress.” The midterms drew unusual interest from Washington and Wall Street, as former U.S. President Donald Trump had threatened to pull $20 billion in aid if Milei’s coalition lost. Despite international buzz, voter turnout in Argentina was just under 68 percent, one of the lowest since the return of democracy in 1983. While Milei’s policies have slashed inflation from 289 percent to 32 percent, living costs remain high, and unemployment has risen. Critics accuse his government of deepening inequality, even as markets applaud Argentina’s new economic direction.