A year from the presidential vote, Argentina's parties begin to define alliances

With a year remaining until Argentina's presidential elections in October 2027, the governing party and main opposition force are realigning their positions. La Libertad Avanza, the party of President Javier Milei, has resumed talks with former President Mauricio Macri's PRO. Meanwhile, various Peronist currents have agreed on a truce to block the government's electoral reform.

Macri and Karina Milei held a phone conversation on Monday after nine months of silence. Delegates from both sides met for two hours on Thursday at Casa Rosada, forming a joint political table that will convene every two weeks. Both sides expressed the shared conviction that Argentina cannot revert to populism. As yet, there is no national electoral alliance.

Macri's PRO will field its own candidate in 2027, with Hernán Lacunza leading the promotion. The strongest convergence appears in Buenos Aires province, where Karina Milei plays a key role in drafting electoral lists. The governing party is also negotiating with governors in approximately ten provinces. La Libertad Avanza secured the presidency in 2023 without any provincial governors, a first in Argentine history.

The primary battleground of 2027 will be Buenos Aires province, governed by Peronist Axel Kicillof. La Libertad Avanza opened its provincial campaign office on Thursday, with Sebastián Pareja identifying Santilli as the likely candidate to challenge Kicillof. On the opposition side, Kicillof, lawmaker Máximo Kirchner, and former presidential candidate Sergio Massa met for three hours on Wednesday, agreeing to defend the open, simultaneous, and compulsory primaries known as PASO.

The government aims to abolish this mechanism alongside party financing reforms. The meeting warned that opposing the removal of primaries could facilitate Milei's continuity, targeting northern Peronist governors who typically align with the government in Congress. Recent polls indicate that 55% of Argentines would vote for Milei or consider doing so, seventeen points ahead of a Kirchnerist candidate.