Election 2025 live blog: Milei celebrates strong performance in midterms

This is a live blog about Argentina's 2025 midterm legislative elections. We'll update you throughout the night about key results, details and what to keep an eye on.

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11pm – Milei vows more reforms

President Javier Milei celebrated his victory  as a "turning point" for the country and vowed to charge ahead with his reform agenda.

"Today we reached a turning point, today begins the construction of a great Argentina," he told supporters at his party's headquarters in Buenos Aires Province. 

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10.30pm – Milei speaks

President Javier Milei thanked Argentines for their support on Sunday night as he celebrated a strong performance for his party in key midterm elections.

In a speech at his party’s election night headquarters in Buenos Aires, Milei thanked the “10 million Argentines” who voted for La Libertad Avanza and its allies in the national legislative vote. 

“Now the construction of a great Argentina begins,” he declared to applause from supporters.

A delighted Milei, who said he was here to “put an end to populism,” praised the first-ever “marvellous” use of the single ballot paper (BUP) system, introduced for this vote, which he said had put an end to electoral tricks. 

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9.45pm – Quick takeaways

Quick takeaways from the results so far:

– La Libertad Avanza is the most voted for national force, with 40.83 percent of ballots cast for nationals deputies
– Fuerza Patria is second with 24.35 percent on that list, but it did not run in every province (unlike La Libertad Avanza)
– Provincias Unidas garnered more than 1.1 million votes for national deputies, equating to 5.08 percent
– In the race for Senate seats, LLA took 42.72 percent, with Fuerza Patria on 23.19 percent (again, the Peronist coalition didn’t run in every region) 
– La Libertad Avanza likely to win the race for deputies in 16 provinces
– LLA and its allies are in front in senatorial races in six of eight provinces.

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9.30pm – Victory for Milei and LLA

Officials results point to a decisive win for President Javier Milei and La Libertad Avanza. The only force to be running in every province, the ruling partys alliance with ex-president Mauricio Macri's PRO party has won it more than 40 percent of the national vote for lower house deputies. 

There is no national comparison between the forces as Peronism, like the other offerings, chose not to run in every district.

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9pm – Delays, delays, delays

Few teething problems for the government as we await official results...

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8pm – First mummerings

Sources from the ruling La Libertad Avanza party say the results of the national legislative elections are “even” and that they are hearing of a strong performance in several provinces, including Córdoba, Santa Fe, Entre Ríos, and Mendoza.

Diego Santilli, candidate for national deputy for the La Libertad Avanza (LLA) alliance in Buenos Aires Province, said preliminary data indicated that Milei’s party were "cutting into" the 14-point lead that Peronism had in the provincial elections on September 7.

"We are receiving data that we are closing the gap in the province," Santilli said in brief comments to the TN news channel as he entered the LLA headquarters at the Hotel Libertador.

The legislative elections are showing a strong polarisation between Milei’s LLA party and the opposition Peronist coalition Fuerza Patria, according to reports.

Preliminary results are expected at 9pm.

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6.15pm – Voters shun parties

As of 6pm, voter turnout was 66 percent, the lowest tally since the return of democracy, local media are reporting.

Today's elections were the first to be held for the first time with a single paper ballot (BUP) system are were to renew 127 seats in the Chamber of Deputies and 24 benches in the Senate.

Needless to say, elections in which the Presidency is on the line are always a bigger draw for voters than midterm votes. Still, this is a low tally, especially given voting is obligatory for those aged 18 and over.

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5pm – Voter turnout at 58.5%

With just one hour to go before polls close, Argentina's electoral authorities report that voter turnout is at 58.5 percent. 

Polling stations across the country will close at 6pm.

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3.30pm – Kicillof open to talks with Milei

Buenos Aires Province Governor Axel Kicillof, a potential 2027 presidential candidate for the opposition Peronist movement, cast his vote at a school in La Plata on Sunday. 

He said he was open to talks with the national government on shared interests after the election, saying Milei “has my phone number” if he wanted to use it.

Kicillof, who arrived with pastries for election officials and mate and thermos in hand, shared his drink with voters as he waited in line. He said voting was underway “normally” across Buenos Aires Province, the nation’s most-populous region, where Milei suffered a heavy defeat in September 7 regional polls.

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3pm – Famous faces vote

Several high-profile politicians, as well as President Javier Milei, have already cast their vote.

Milei’s Cabinet Chief Guillermo Francos cast his vote at around midday. He predicted that, "a time of significant change is coming."

When asked about the anticipated Cabinet reshuffle in the wake of today’s vote, he refused to comment, saying "it is the President who decides everything."

Francos downplayed the market "volatility" that usually occurs in pre-election periods and maintained that everything is in order when it comes to the economy.

He also praised and approved the new electoral system, the Single Paper Ballot (BUP), which was launched on Sunday and which he considered to have worked without any problems.

Casting her vote in Almagro, Buenos Aires City, Presidential Chief-of-Staff Karina Milei called "for a peaceful day and for people to go out and vote,” in brief remarks to the press.

National Security Minister Patricia Bullrich played down the election as she cast her vote in Palermo, telling reporters that Monday morning "will be the same as Friday," implying that there will be no dramatic changes related to the results.

"We are facing an election in which we must reflect on our vote," she stressed.

Juan Grabois, Fuerza Patria candidate for national deputy representing Buenos Aires Province, voted early afternoon, saying: "Hopefully, from tomorrow onwards, we will have a more humane Argentina."

After voting at a school in Vicente López, Grabois said that "it is a democratic day in which we leaders must talk less and listen more."

Referring to the Peronist coalition, he said: "Right now, we have electoral unity, and it is important to seek a synthesis that must have a programme for governing Argentina.”

Former Peronist presidential candidate Sergio Massa, casting his vote in Tigre, described it as a “crucial election.”

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1pm – Low turnout?

Electoral sources quoted by the Noticias Argentinas news agency say turnout, as of midday,  was at 23 percent of the electoral roll, significantly lower than in recent national elections.

The figure marks a significant drop from the last legislative election. In 2021, by midday, the National Electoral Chamber had reported a turnout of 30.5 percent of registered voters.

In the 2023 general elections, 29.6 percent of registered voters had already cast their ballots by noon,

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Midday – Six hours to go (nine if you wants initial results)

Polling stations have been open for four hours now and they'll remain so for another six hours.

If you're in Argentina, eligible and are not sure where to vote, don't worry, there's still time! Go to www.padron.gob.ar, complete a quick online form and it'll tell you where to cast your ballot. You have until 6pm local time, but if you're waiting in line at that time, you'll still have the right to vote.

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11.15am – President Milei votes

President Javier Milei has cast his vote in the election at a polling station in Almagro. The head of state and his sister, Presidential Chief-of-Staff Karina Milei, arrived with a large security detail and greeted supporters who had gathered outside. He left without making comments to the press.

Milei was also accompanied by Iñaki Gutiérrez, who manages his social media accounts, and filmmaker Santiago Oría, who documents his activities.

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8am – Voting begins

Polling stations have opened in Argentina for key midterm elections that will determine whether President Javier Milei can increase his party's representation in Congress in the second half of his term.

In total, 127 seats in the Chamber of Deputies and 24 seats in the Senate are up for grabs in this legislative vote. For the first time, the Single Paper Ballot (BUP) format will be used throughout the country.

There are 36 million eligible voters who can cast ballots from 8am to 6pm local time, with preliminary results expected to be released three hours afterwards. Projections and exit polls cannot be published until 9pm.

Milei's La Libertad Avanza party currently has less than 15 percent of seats in Congress – a share he would like to boost to at least a third, which would offer protection from opposition attempts to thwart presidential vetoes.