Javier Milei's libertarian party wins Argentina's midterm elections

Javier Milei's party has now secured the one-third of seats in the Chamber of Deputies required to block any future attempts to overturn presidential vetoes

Argentina’s far-right President Javier Milei’s party won Sunday’s midterm elections, following a campaign that was marked by a major development: US President Donald Trump announced a $40-billion bailout for Argentina, making continued assistance contingent on Milei’s victory.

 

With more than 95 per cent of votes counted, Milei’s party, La Libertad Avanza, secured 40.84 per cent of the nationwide vote in what was widely viewed as a referendum on Milei’s nearly two years in office.

 

La Libertad Avanza ahead in lower house 

A total of 127 out of 257 seats in the lower house and a third of the senate – 24 of its 72 seats – were contested. La Libertad Avanza won 64 seats in the lower house and 12 in the senate. The Peronist opposition, Fuerza Patria, secured 31.67 per cent of the vote.

 

 

Although the outcome fell short of granting Milei a congressional majority, which remains with the Peronists, analysts in Argentina described the result as surprising given the recent setbacks to his popularity – from corruption allegations involving his sister to the deepening economic crisis.

 

“Argentines demonstrated they don’t want to return to the model of failure,” a jubilant Milei said in Buenos Aires on Sunday night. “This is the most reformist Congress in the history of Argentina.”

The victory followed a heavy defeat for Milei’s party in the September local elections in Buenos Aires province, where the Peronists prevailed. That loss triggered a sell-off of the peso amid investor anxiety about the president’s political standing. The Trump administration subsequently extended financial assistance to Argentina to stabilise its economy.

 

Analysts call the result unexpected

 

Gustavo Cordoba, director of the Argentine polling firm Zuban Cordoba, told Reuters that he was surprised by the outcome and believed it reflected public caution against a return to the economic crises of previous governments. He said many voters appeared willing to give the Milei administration another opportunity to prove itself and described the victory as unquestionable.

 

Gracias Presidente @realDonaldTrump por confiar en el pueblo argentino. Usted es un gran amigo de la República Argentina. Nuestras Naciones nunca debieron dejar de ser aliadas. Nuestros pueblos quieren vivir en libertad. Cuente conmigo para dar la batalla por la civilización… pic.twitter.com/G4APcYIA2i

— Javier Milei (@JMilei) October 27, 2025

Cordoba mentioned that Milei’s party now appeared to have secured the one-third of seats in the Chamber of Deputies needed to prevent any future presidential vetoes from being overturned. Several of Milei’s spending vetoes had been reversed by Congress in the months leading up to the midterms. 

 

Election secures Milei’s edge

 

Marcelo Garcia, Americas director at risk consultancy Horizon Engage, said the result would strengthen Milei’s ability to defend his decrees and vetoes in Congress. He added that the president’s allies were now more likely to back a leader with renewed electoral momentum.

 

With the new seats in the lower house, combined with those already held, the government has achieved its primary target in the election, securing at least one-third of the lower house to maintain presidential veto power.

 

Milei’s ‘chainsaw’ approach 

Milei began his term nearly two years ago with what he called his 'chainsaw' approach to spending, implementing deep cuts that eliminated tens of thousands of public jobs and froze investment in infrastructure, healthcare, education, and even the supply of medicines for pensioners.  [With inputs from agencies]