President Milei’s party wins Buenos Aires local elections, ending 20-year PRO rule

By Sinan Dogan and Gizem Nisa Cebi

BOGOTA/ISTANBUL (AA) – Argentine President Javier Milei’s La Libertad Avanza party won the Buenos Aires local legislative elections Sunday, ending the Republican Proposal (PRO) party’s two-decade dominance in the capital.

With 53.3% voter turnout, Milei’s party secured 30.1% of the vote, nearly doubling its share from 2023. The victory is seen as a major boost ahead of the national midterm elections in October.

“The yellow fortress has been painted purple,” Milei said, referring to PRO’s color. “We will now paint the entire country purple.”

Following the results, Buenos Aires’ stock exchange rose by up to 2%, with gains in government bonds.

Analysts say the outcome marks a shift in the Argentine right, with Milei’s ultra-libertarian movement replacing PRO as the leading conservative force.