Argentina is set to vote in legislative elections on Sunday, which will test support for President Javier Milei’s free-market reforms and austerity measures.
The president’s party, La Libertad Avanza, aims to boost its minority in Congress to maintain investor confidence and maintain support from U.S. President Donald Trump. The election will take place in half of Argentina’s lower Chamber of Deputies and a third of the Senate.
The Peronist opposition movement currently holds the largest minority in both houses, while Milei’s party has only 37 deputies and six senators. The White House and foreign investors have been impressed by the government’s ability to reduce monthly inflation, achieve a fiscal surplus, and enact sweeping deregulation measures.
However, Milei’s popularity has fallen due to public frustration with his cuts to public spending and a corruption scandal linked to his sister. Political experts predict that more than 35% of the vote would be a positive outcome for Milei’s government and could allow him to block opposition lawmakers’ efforts to overturn his vetoes against laws that threaten Argentina’s fiscal balance.
With information from Reuters