Milei’s La Libertad Avanza party becomes top bloc in Argentina’s Congress

President Javier Milei confirmed late Tuesday night that his party became the biggest group in the lower house of Argentina’s Congress as the libertarian leader continues to add lawmakers while others deflect from rival blocs.  

Milei’s La Libertad Avanza now has 95 lawmakers in the chamber, according to posts by the President on his X account.

At the same time, three members of Congress from Catamarca Province ditched the main Peronist caucus, giving Milei a one-seat lead over his top opponent. To reach a simple majority in the lower house, either party needs 129 votes.

The libertarian’s burgeoning bloc — which only had 38 seats when he took office two years ago — bodes well for his ambitious legislative agenda when the new Congress begins on December 10. He’ll seek to pass Argentina’s first annual budget in three years, and then pursue labour and tax reforms long seen as overdue by investors but politically costly in Buenos Aires. 

By surpassing the Peronists’ headcount in the chamber, Milei will benefit not just from votes. As the leader of the top caucus, he’ll get additional influence over and seats on legislative committees, which can help usher reforms along in the early stages. 

Since pulling off a big comeback and winning the October midterm elections, Milei’s party has continued to gain more seats as lawmakers who weren’t up for election have reassessed their political loyalties and shifted sides. Right after the October 26 vote, seven lawmakers from former president Mauricio Macri’s PRO moved over to Milei’s LLA. Several others have announced party changes or departures from Congress.

Milei also deployed a more seasoned, centrist politician in Interior Minister Diego Santilli to negotiate with key power brokers, such as Argentina’s governors, to shore up support for the upcoming legislative votes. Some tax cuts on oil production in Patagonia and pending legislation aimed at cutting red tape in the mining sector up north were efforts to win over the swing votes in Congress that will prove decisive for his reforms.