2023-10-23 21:19:51
LOOK: Argentina 2023 Election Results: Massa wins the first round and will contest the runoff with Milei
Massa, candidate of the Unión por la Patria coalition, obtained 36.54% of the votes compared to Milei, representative of La Libertad Avanza, who obtained 30.06%, according to the count at 96.31% of the tables. Patricia Bullrich, candidate of the conservative coalition Together for Change, came third with 24%. The three had positioned themselves as competitive candidates for this election, a situation not seen in recent decades.
With the second round confirmed, Massa and Milei are now launching the search for support to win the presidency. “The crack has died and a new stage begins,” said the official. “All of us who want change have to work together,” said, for his part, the libertarian who proposes dollarizing the economy and eliminating the central bank.
El Comercio spoke regarding the electoral result with Juan Negri, an Argentine political scientist at the Torcuato di Tella University, who foresees a close campaign with serious challenges for both candidates.
—How do you explain Sergio Massa’s triumph?
It has been a huge surprise. I think there has been a fear factor towards Milei. That is, being seen as a leap into the unknown, being seen as the candidate who had delusional proposals and the flow of new voters harmed him. Milei did not lose votes, but he did not grow since the primaries, he remains stagnant and that has to do with the fear of a candidate with such crazy proposals.
Presidential candidate Sergio Massa speaks following knowing the results of the first round of the Argentine elections. (Photo: EFE)
—Why was it Massa and not Bullrich who was able to capitalize on the fear of Milei?
I believe that following the primary elections, Massa emerges as the clearest anti-Milei candidate. For much of the campaign, until PASO, Bullrich and Milei had many similarities. The result of the primaries, in which Milei comes first, makes Massa’s job easier. Because when Milei comes out first the election becomes a kind of Milei or anti-Milei and there Massa was better prepared to deal with that.
—How much did the performance of the current government weigh in on Massa’s victory?
Massa’s merit is having separated his candidacy from government management. That is to say, it is very difficult to be in favor of a government with such weak numbers. In fact, Peronism has made its worst presidential election in history. We are talking regarding a Peronism that draws a virtue from necessity, that draws water from stones, but in reality it is a very bad choice for Peronism. It is already miraculous that Massa has come first as the Minister of Economy of this government.
—The polls showed Milei as the clear favorite, but in the end he obtained the same percentage of votes as in the primaries. What does this result mean for Milei?
Milei tried to appear positive and cheerful in his campaign command, but the truth is that there must have been an air of defeat in his surroundings. There was an expectation that she would start first and she finished second, I think there is an important component of disappointment.
Argentine congressman and presidential candidate of the Alianza Avanzas La Libertad, Javier Milei (C), hugs the candidate for mayor of Buenos Aires, Ramiro Marra (L), and the candidate for governor of Buenos Aires, Carolina Piparo (R), during a rally following knowing the results. (Photo: AFP)
—Milei is going to have to rethink his strategy to attract more votes, which means resorting to moderation. How difficult might this be for him?
It’s going to be difficult for him. She tried it in the speech he gave following learning the results. He sought to appear much more moderate, he emphasized that citizens were not going to lose rights, but Massa is more prepared than him to make a more centrist speech, we will have to see how Milei responds to the challenge. In his favor, Massa has the economy in a very bad situation, so that will also be a tool that can help him.
—Where might Patricia Bullrich’s votes go?
I believe that there is a lot of vote for Patricia Bullrich who is deeply anti-Peronist, so there is a significant chance that this will go to Milei. In general, she is going to be very fighting this second round.
—Both Massa and Milei have tried to build bridges with other political forces. What do you expect from the new campaign that begins towards the runoff?
I see Massa building towards the center, with a discourse of democracy versus anti-democracy, a plural, broad discourse, with something for everyone, for students, for retirees, for merchants. And I see Milei more engaged in a discourse of continuity versus change, a more anti-Kirchnerism discourse.
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