Argentina’s opposition Peronist party secured a decisive victory in the Buenos Aires provincial legislative elections on September 7, 2025, dealing a significant blow to President Javier Milei’s La Libertad Avanza (LLA) party.
The Peronist coalition, Fuerza Patria, led by Governor Axel Kicillof, captured 46.8% to 47.4% of the vote, while LLA, represented by Diego Valenzuela, trailed with 33.8% to 34%, according to provisional counts with over 80% of votes tallied.
The results, from Argentina’s most populous province, which accounts for 40% of the national electorate and a third of the country’s GDP, serve as a critical gauge of public sentiment ahead of the October congressional midterms.
The Peronist win reinforces Buenos Aires as a traditional stronghold for the center-left movement, with Fuerza Patria dominating in six of the province’s eight electoral districts.
Kicillof’s leadership bolstered the coalition’s success, capitalizing on voter dissatisfaction with Milei’s austerity measures and recent controversies, including a bribery scandal involving the president’s sister.
Milei acknowledged the defeat, stating, “We suffered a setback, and we must accept it responsibly,” but vowed to intensify his libertarian policies, focusing on fiscal balance and economic openness.
The election outcome highlights growing public frustration with Milei’s “chainsaw” economic policies, which have led to unemployment rates reaching their highest since 2021.
A corruption scandal and protests over Milei’s veto of pension and disability spending increases, later overturned by Congress, have further eroded support for his administration.
Governors from Chubut and Santa Fe described the vote as a “wake-up call” and a “clear warning” to Milei, urging a shift toward policies that prioritize growth and stability.
The Buenos Aires defeat poses challenges for Milei’s LLA as it approaches the October 2025 midterms, where half of the lower house and a third of the senate seats are at stake.
With Congress already dominated by opposition parties, the Peronist victory signals potential difficulties for Milei in advancing his agenda.
Former President Cristina Kirchner remarked on X, “Did you see Milei? … Get out of your bubble, brother … things are getting heavy,” reflecting the opposition’s confidence following the results.