In Argentina, the election results are clear: the self-proclaimed “anarcho-capitalist” Javier Milei wins by several percentage points.
The ultra-liberal Javier Milei becomes the next president of Argentina. According to official partial results published late on Sunday evening (local time) after 99 percent of the votes were counted, Milei clearly won the runoff election for the presidency in the South American country with 55.6 percent.
His competitor, Economy Minister Sergio Massa, received 44.3 percent of the vote. In his victory speech to his supporters, Milei promised a change in the country.
“Today begins the end of Argentina’s decline,” said Milei on Sunday evening (local time) at his campaign headquarters in Buenos Aires. According to official partial results, the 53-year-old political newcomer, who describes himself as an “anarcho-capitalist,” won the runoff election for the presidency with around 55 percent of the vote ahead of his competitor Sergio Massa.
Argentina: Election winner Milei faces major challenges
“We will apply the model of freedom to become a world power again,” Milei continued in his victory speech. His future government faces “monumental problems.” Milei cited “inflation, stagnation, the lack of real jobs, insecurity, poverty and misery.” These could only be solved if “we again embrace the ideas of freedom,” he continued.
The 53-year-old political newcomer Milei caused a sensation during the election campaign with populist slogans. The newcomer to politics declared that he wanted to abolish the central bank, cut public spending “with a chainsaw” and replace the Argentine peso with the US dollar. Milei is against abortion and sex education and denies human responsibility for climate change.
However, after the first round of the presidential election, Milei appeared significantly more moderate. He ultimately achieved the support of his two previous opponents from the first round: the conservative Patricia Bullrich and the former liberal head of state Mauricio Macri, who was in office until 2019.
Milei’s rival Massa ran for the center-left government camp that had dominated Argentine politics for decades. In the first round of voting almost a month ago, he came in first place with a seven percentage point lead over Milei. On Sunday he admitted his defeat to supporters before the results were published.
Around 36 million Argentines were asked to cast their votes in the runoff election. The voter turnout was 76 percent. The handover of office to election winner Milei is planned for December 10th; the term of office lasts four years. Milei will take over the post from the center-left head of state Alberto Fernández, who has been in office since 2019.
The left-wing president of Argentina’s neighboring country Brazil, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, congratulated the “new government” in Argentina shortly after the results were announced on the online service X (formerly Twitter), without explicitly mentioning election winner Milei. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken congratulated Milei on his election victory – and expressed satisfaction at the “high voter turnout.” Washington will work with Milei’s government on “common priorities.”
143 percent inflation per year: Argentina is struggling with a severe economic crisis
Former Brazilian and US presidents Jair Bolsonaro and Donald Trump, to whom Milei is often compared, expressed their enthusiasm. “I’m proud of you,” Trump wrote in his online network Truth Social, adding: “You will change your country and make Argentina a great country again.” Bolsonaro said Milei’s victory would bring hope back to South America.
The White House National Security Advisor not only congratulated libertarian populist Javier Milei on his victory in Argentina’s presidential election, but also the people of Argentina for the “free and fair election.” Jake Sullivan wrote on Platform
According to most experts, it is completely unclear how Milei will behave after his election victory. Most of his campaign promises appear to be unrealistic because the president-elect lacks the necessary majority in parliament.
Milei faces enormous challenges. Argentina is in the worst economic crisis in decades, annual inflation is currently at 143 percent and the poverty rate is over 40 percent.
Source: Stern
I have been working in the news industry for over 6 years, first as a reporter and now as an editor. I have covered politics extensively, and my work has appeared in major newspapers and online news outlets around the world. In addition to my writing, I also contribute regularly to 24 Hours World.
