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Original article: Milei cercado por la crisis: 60,7% no votaría su reelección

Javier Milei, who ascended to power promising a radical transformation of the state, is now surrounded by a crisis eroding his support base and casting doubt on his potential second term as President of Argentina.

The latest survey conducted by Zuban Córdoba reveals alarming results for the president, indicating that if elections were held today, 60.7% of respondents would not vote for his re-election as an ultra-right figure.

According to the opinion study, the fact that six out of ten Argentines reject his bid for a new mandate reflects a complex scenario involving three key issues: the economic situation, internal government crisis, and judicial matters.

Major Rejection of Milei, His «Poor Economic Management,» and Corruption

The Zuban Córdoba survey, conducted between April 1 and 3 with a sample of 2,200 people, leaves little room for optimism for the government, with only 29.4% of respondents indicating they would vote for Milei’s potential re-election, compared to 60.7% stating they would not support the “libertarian” leader; meanwhile, 10% indicated they are undecided.

According to the opinion poll, “the poor economic management” stands out as the primary reason for the low support for Milei, cited by 47%. This is followed by 24.7% citing “failure to fulfill campaign promises,” and 21.5% relating to corruption issues that have marred the administration of La Libertad Avanza, including the scandal involving the fraud linked to the failed cryptocurrency “$LIBRA” promoted by the ultra-right leader; the misappropriation of funds within the National Agency for Disability (ANDIS), and the latest controversy rocking the Casa Rosada involving Milei’s Chief of Staff, Miguel Adorni, who is under investigation for alleged illicit enrichment.

Last week, the Argentine judiciary ordered the lifting of the bank secrecy of the high-ranking official and his wife to further analyze their financial movements amidst suspicions of irregularities that contrast with the austerity policies championed by the “libertarian” administration.

What About the Critics of Peronism?

Despite the setback, Milei may still retain a support base. “As analysts from the polling firm note, it primarily relies on the trust in his leadership. This is the opinion of 47%,” reported Página/12.

Additionally, the critics of Peronism represent 21.6%.

“This indicates, they explain, that a significant portion of his electoral base responds to both identity adherence and rejection,” the cited media stated.

“Meanwhile, the evaluation of La Libertad Avanza policies also accounts for 20.2%,” the same media outlet mentioned.

Deterioration Within His Own ‘Libertarian’ Electorate

One of the most alarming findings for the establishment is the decline in support even among those who voted for Milei initially, as the opinion study indicates that 60.6% reject the possibility of a second term for Milei.

Even within the original support base of the libertarian, there is a noticeable lack of backing, with 33.9% reporting they have reduced or withdrawn their support, predominantly due to the economic situation (47.7%), but also due to credibility factors, such as unfulfilled promises (18.9%) and perceptions of corruption (12.7%).

This means that one-third of those who voted for Milei in 2023 no longer support him or do so with reservations, indicating that the libertarian vote is fracturing from within.

The Adorni Scandal and Soaring Inflation

As the economy struggles to recover and industrial production and construction indices show declines, tensions within La Libertad Avanza’s administration are rising, particularly amid the Adorni scandal.

As Página/12 reported, while Karina Milei, the president’s sister and secretary to the presidency, continues to advocate for him to remain in the Chief of Staff position, “most officials are reluctant to publicly defend him in the media and behind the scenes, they are calling for changes.”

The impact of the Adorni case is expected to be more significant in upcoming surveys, as the polling was conducted on April 3, prior to the lifting of his bank secrecy.

However, this crisis for La Libertad Avanza is exacerbated by a macroeconomic context that is far from favorable for Milei’s administration and its neoliberal policies, including cuts to social programs that have led to a public spending adjustment of approximately $67 billion over the last 26 months, equating to nearly 10% of Argentina’s GDP.

This week, the National Institute of Statistics and Census (INDEC) is expected to release the data on March’s inflation, which is projected to continue rising and exceed previous months.

In February, it stood at 2.9%, marking nine consecutive months of increases, while industrial production and construction, along with other vital economic sectors, show declines and worker salaries and purchasing power fail to keep up with inflation levels.

A New Candidate Outside Traditional Parties?

The survey also revealed that among those who oppose Milei, 48.2% expressed a willingness to support a coalition of several parties to defeat him in the elections set for October 2027.

Meanwhile, 46.4% indicated they would vote for a centrist representative who is ‘more moderate’; and a significant 62.4% believe Argentina ‘needs a new candidate not linked to any of the current parties’.

Milei Expresses Anger at Pollsters and Acknowledges Tough Times for Argentines

In light of these devastating numbers, the president has opted for confrontation rather than self-criticism with those measuring reality.

“Milei, who sees the negative numbers in polls, is worried and has decided to lash out at the pollsters,” reported Página/12.

The libertarian was forced to acknowledge the adverse conditions facing Argentines under his government, mentioning in a post on X that ‘these last few months have been tough’.

Confronted with evidence, he admitted to the harshness of the recent period but then shifted the blame onto the press and his political opponents.

‘We are better, now does that mean everyone is better? No. It would be intellectually dishonest to claim that,’ he stated before attacking the media and ‘the kukas’ (supporters of kirchnerism) for the failures of his libertarian administration, the cited media outlet reported.

La entrada Milei Faces Crisis: 60.7% of Voters Oppose His Re-election se publicó primero en El Ciudadano.