President touted contest in Buenos Aires province – 40% of electorate – as ‘life or death battle’ but won only 34% of vote
Argentina’s president, Javier Milei, has suffered his worst electoral defeat since taking office, as he faces his administration’s most serious corruption scandal and signs that the economy is slowing.
In local legislative elections on Sunday for Buenos Aires province – home to almost 40% of the country’s electorate – the coalition led by the self-styled anarcho-capitalist was beaten by the opposition by 47% to 34%.
The result might have been trivial had Milei himself not given national weight to the vote and even the air of a plebiscite on his government, having previously described it as a “life or death battle” against the opposition.
Analysts say that, beyond public dissatisfaction with the economic squeeze, Milei was heavily damaged by the recent revelation of an alleged corruption scheme involving the president’s powerful sister, Karina.
