Surprise victory for President Javier Milei’s La Libertad Avanza party, which secured 40.7% of the vote in Argentina’s midterm legislative elections (42.3% in the Senate). Meanwhile, the left-wing opposition coalition, Fuerza Patria, garnered no more than 34.8% of the vote in the House (36.5% in the Senate).
In a legislative election that many viewed as a “plebiscite” on President Javier Milei’s administration, the ruling party, La Libertad Avanza (LLA), achieved a victory that could redefine its government project and give it political breathing room after months of economic turmoil and corruption scandals.
This Sunday’s, Oct. 26, elections renewed half of the Chamber of Deputies (127 seats) and one-third of the Senate (24 senators), in a contest that many had described as a plebiscite on Milei’s management.
After these midterm elections, the Argentine Congress has been renewed. The opposition party Fuerza Patria put 48 seats in the lower house up for election and managed to retain them. Added to the 53 it already holds, it will now have a bloc of 101 lawmakers. For its part, the ruling party La Libertad Avanza had eight seats at stake and won 64. It retains 29, bringing its total to a bloc of 93. In the Senate, Fuerza Patria will have a bloc of 28 lawmakers compared to 20 for La Libertad Avanza.
Surprise victory for President Javier Milei in Argentina’s legislative elections
According to preliminary data circulating, La Libertad Avanza has obtained a vote share sufficient to displace the opposition and assume a much more dominant position in the parliamentary agenda.
The libertarians were the most voted nationwide and prevailed in Cordoba, Santa Fe, and Mendoza, among other districts. The center-left coalition Fuerza Patria was the second force, while Buenos Aires province remains disputed vote by vote. Other formations, such as Provincias Unidas, obtained much lower results (7,4%).
This popular backing for the ruling party comes at a time when the president had been heavily criticized both for the meager economic results — runaway inflation, persistent recession — and for scandals involving his inner circle. The victory, therefore, represents a social endorsement, a message that part of the electorate supports his reformist agenda, however radical it may be.
For Milei, accustomed to governing through decrees and commanding majority support in rhetoric, this triumph represents a reaffirmation — a sort of renewed mandate — that will allow him to move forward more decisively with his agenda. He will have greater room to push his plans for reducing the size of the state, economic liberalization, and “cleansing” the political system, without depending as much on awkward alliances.
For his part, Manuel Adorni, spokesperson for the Milei government, commented with a brief “nice night. The end,” in a post published on his personal account on the social network X.
Linda noche.
Fin.
— Manuel Adorni (@madorni) October 27, 2025
Why is this result seen as a message?
Sunday’s vote serves as a barometer of the public mood: Turnout reached 68% of the electorate, the lowest since the return of democracy in 1983. This unprecedented figure reveals a degree of disenchantment, indifference, or fatigue with traditional politics, but it also suggests that those who did vote did so with determination. While the government will interpret this as a victory for its model, analysts warn that the low turnout diminishes the moral “mandate” of the victory.
It is also important to highlight that, for the first time, 16- and 17-year-olds were allowed to vote, based on a separate census of approximately 1,140,000 people. Their mobilization and preferences played an emerging role, with many drawn either to the radical change Milei promises or to abstention due to the lack of political options that connect with their generation.
This triumph does not arise in a vacuum. Milei entered this election in a complex situation: His government has implemented a radical liberal agenda of spending cuts, privatizations, fiscal adjustment, and anti-establishment rhetoric that has drawn both praise and fear. But he has also been hit by corruption allegations involving his inner circle, which have eroded part of his base of creative support.
In previous provincial elections in Buenos Aires province, the Peronist opposition had soundly defeated him — a result interpreted as an early warning of what might happen nationally. Against that backdrop, the current victory carries greater weight: Milei has managed to capitalize on a moment of political crisis to prevail.
Legislative implications and the social reading of Milei’s triumph
With strengthened control of the legislature, Milei will be able to more easily advance key laws for his program: From market liberalization and shrinking the size of the state and taxes, to reforms in security and labor legislation. His challenge will no longer be just winning at the polls, but consolidating functional majorities that allow him to govern with stability.
However, one element to keep in mind is the relativity of the victory: Even if La Libertad Avanza wins, it does not necessarily control all legislative power outright. It will need to negotiate, build alliances, or at least manage the opposition coherently if it wants to prevent the initial euphoria from turning into paralysis or weariness.
The electorate has sent several messages. First, there remains a current of support for Milei’s project of change — sectors willing to bet on his model over the status quo. Second, apathy and disillusionment remain strong — if turnout was the lowest in 40 years, it is because a significant portion of voters did not feel represented by what was at stake. And third, the new generation (16- to 17-year-olds) is beginning to play a role that traditional parties will need to take seriously.
In this sense, if Milei interprets the victory as a blank check, he could make the mistake of underestimating the risks of polarization. The next steps will be crucial: To govern and meet expectations amid a still fragile economy, high inflation, and textbook promises that require concrete results.