Argentina's Milei wins show of support in Buenos Aires election

Argentine President Javier Milei's government received a show of support on Sunday as candidates he has endorsed took the lead in a legislative election in the city of Buenos Aires.

With over 99% of polling stations counted, Milei's list of candidates led by his spokesperson Manuel Adorni was leading the results for the local legislature with 30.1% of the votes, according to official results.

"Today is a turning point for the ideas of freedom," the libertarian Milei said on Sunday evening, celebrating the results on stage, accompanied by members of his cabinet.

Leandro Santoro, who had been the favorite in most polls and is aligned with the Peronist movement of former president Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner, was trailing with 27.4% of the vote.

In third place with 15.9% of the vote was the list led by Silvia Lospennato, the candidate from the PRO party, a former ally of Milei that is now competing with Milei for leadership of the center-right.

Sunday's election for half of the 60 seats in the capital's legislature was seen as the first important electoral test for Milei, who took office in late 2023.

"It wasn't simply a local election," Adorni said on stage. "It was an election between two models ... The model of the political class, the model of a privileged few, and the model of freedom. And today, freedom won - once again."

Milei's administration had sought to frame Sunday's local election as a referendum on his government's national economic achievements, touting his success in bringing down inflation and securing the country's first budget surplus in 14 years last year, said Mariel Fornoni, political analyst at the consulting firm Management & Fit.

"That's the government's main asset," said Fornoni.

The outcome in Buenos Aires is considered an important step and indicator leading up to the national midterm elections in October.