While the President’s attributes seem unchanged, according to the survey conducted by consultancy Proyección between July 10 and 20, 2024 between 1,649 actual cases over 16 residing in Argentina, an extremely high proportion of people surveyed state that they “cannot make ends meet” and that the direction of the economy is "incorrect".
According to the opinion poll, to 50.2 percent, Javier Milei has the “attitude to improve the country’s situation" and 47.1 percent claim “he has a government plan". The assessment of the libertarian administration has remained unaltered from March to July. And the positive assessment even grew by half a point, while the negative image fell by half a point.
According to Manuel Zunino from consultancy Proyección, "Milei has sought from the outset to build a new polarising scheme and he achieved nearly total centrality. Public opinion is divided between those who support them and those who reject them. Now his main challenge is to lead that ruling party field, because within his coalition he has disputes with Macri and Villarruel. Whereas the opposition is dispersed, recovering self-esteem and seeking reorganisation amid a conext he doesn’t quite grasp yet”.
And there is a supplementary piece of information added to the assessment of the presidential image: campaign promises. Every time he has a chance, Milei reaffirms that he is fulfiling everything he said before assuming the presidency. And consultancy Proyección reflects them as follows.
51.6 percent of those surveyed state he is fulfiling his promise to “reduce the State” and 39.4 percent with “lowering the inflation”. In the meanime, 52.8 percent hope he honours his promise to “lower taxes” and 47.5 percent to “improve insecurity”.
Yet on the other hand, there is 64.5 percent who state that “they have to retrench” or “they cannot make ends meet”.
51.6 percent claim that the economy is “just as bad”, “worse” or “much worse” and 43.4 percent believe the direction of the economy is incorrect. However, and despite these negative values, 44.1 percent is willing to wait between three months and one year for the outcome of Milei’s administration.
The atomisation of the opposition is such and the libertarian discourse is so strong that seven months into Javier Milei’s term of office and with many disruptive measures, 57.3 percent still believe Alberto Fernández’s government is responsible for the country’s economic problems.
In the meantime, the opposition navigates a sea of uncertainty, to the point that Axel Kicillof is positioned as the best opposition leader (39.7 percent), accumulating a 53.1-percent negative image.
Those negative image rankings are won by a landslide by Sergio Massa (62.1 percent), Mauricio Macri (62 percent), Martín Lousteau (58.8 percent), and Cristina Kirchner (56.4 percent).
When it comes to assessing the image and leadership of the opposition, the consultancy asked, “Which of the following leaders should be the main ones in the opposition?”. On the list, behind Axel Kicillof (35 percent), are Leandro Santoro (15.8 percent), Sergio Massa (15.7 percent), Juan Grabois (11.2 percent) and Horacio Rodríguez Larreta (10 percent).
Yet the most outstanding piece of information is that 36.6 percent does not choose any of the aforementioned leaders, which shows an opposition without a clear leadership to face Milei.
The one best capitalising on that vacuum, and although she is part of the same government, is Victoria Villarruel, who with 47.2-percent positive image is the best positioned leader to assume a new political leadership in Argentina.
--TIMES/PERFIL
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