A far-right politician known for his admiration of former US President Donald Trump, Javier Milei, has achieved a remarkable feat by securing the largest portion of votes in Argentina’s primary election.
This preliminary election, which involves candidates from all political parties, holds substantial significance as an indicator for the upcoming presidential election on October 22nd.
Surpassing expectations, Mr. Milei captured an impressive 30% of the votes, outshining more established political figures. This outcome has sent shockwaves through the Argentine media, aptly termed a “political earthquake.”
Argentina’s primary system differs from those of other nations, as it allows participation not only for party members but also for all eligible voters who can partake in the presidential election. Voting in these primaries is compulsory.
The candidate who garners the most votes in the primaries is often considered a front-runner for the main presidential election on October 22nd.
Preceding the primaries, opinion polls had placed Mr. Milei behind the center-left economy minister, Sergio Massa, and the conservative contender Patricia Bullrich.
However, with over 97% of the votes tallied, Mr. Milei secured 30.06% of the votes, leading Patricia Bullrich’s coalition with 28.27% and Sergio Massa’s coalition with 27.24%.
Newspaper La Nación likened Mr. Milei’s surge to a formidable tsunami.
Despite having served as a Congressman since 2021, Mr. Milei, a former TV personality, prefers to position himself as a political outsider.
IMAGE SOURCE, GETTY IMAGES – Image caption: Javier Milei is often seen wearing his trademark leather jacket and sporting long sideburns
His anti-establishment perspective has resonated strongly with Argentine voters who are frustrated with both the present and past administrations for their inability to resolve the nation’s economic turmoil.
With an annual inflation rate exceeding 115%, a quarter of the population living in poverty, and the local currency, the peso, having plummeted to the extent that rival football fans mock Argentine supporters by tearing up peso bills, the discontent is palpable.
Mr. Milei has directed vehement criticisms towards his rivals hailing from entrenched political parties. In the aftermath of the primary, he addressed his enthusiastic supporters, proclaiming that they have crafted a viable alternative capable of dismantling the parasitic, corrupt, and ineffective political elite.
At 52 years old, he envisions the elimination of Argentina’s central bank, the substitution of the peso with the US dollar, and the privatization of state-owned entities running at a loss, if elected. His policy stance on loosening gun controls mirrors a page from the playbook of Brazil’s former far-right leader, Jair Bolsonaro.
Mr. Milei has vocalized his opposition to abortion unless the life of the mother is endangered, and he pledges to safeguard the lives of children from conception, forming a crucial part of his campaign agenda.
Expressing skepticism towards sex education in schools, branding it a strategy to dismantle the “traditional family,” and rejecting the concept of climate change, he portrays a unique and unorthodox image.
Sporting distinctive long sideburns, belting out rock anthems, and often donning a leather jacket, the deliberately provocative 52-year-old frequently launches expletive-laden tirades against “the left.”
His unexpectedly strong performance in the primary—exceeding opinion polls by 10 percentage points—prompted a further plunge in the peso’s value. As markets commenced on Monday, the official exchange rate plummeted by nearly 18%, settling just above 350 pesos per dollar.
Mr Milei’s success was celebrated rapturously by his supporters, whom he told: “We are the true opposition, we are the only ones who want a real change, because remember, a different Argentina is impossible with the same old people, with the same old people who have always failed, with the same old people who have been failing for 100 years.”
Following the recent primaries, the second and third place candidates, Patricia Bullrich and Sergio Massa, are now focusing on enhancing their positions in preparation for the initial round of the presidential election scheduled for October 22nd.
Should no candidate secure 45% of the votes or 40% with a lead of 10 percentage points, a second round will take place on November 19th between the top two contenders.
Given the slight margin of under four percentage points that separates the leading three candidates in the primaries, the likelihood of a second round is currently high.
Argentina is not the sole nation in the region where an anti-establishment candidate has disrupted the political landscape.
In Colombia’s 2022 election, independent contender Rodolfo Hernández unexpectedly took the lead in the initial round, only to be defeated by former left-wing rebel Gustavo Petro in the runoff.
Similarly, Chile saw far-right candidate José Antonio Kast secure the lead in the first round of the 2021 election, yet he was ultimately overcome by the left-wing former student leader Gabriel Boric in the subsequent round.
In Brazil, fervent supporters of the incumbent far-right figure, Jair Bolsonaro, disputed his narrow loss to his left-wing rival, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. Their dissent culminated in a storming of Congress mere days after Lula da Silva’s inauguration on January 1st, 2023.