Not only did the polls not predict it, but the victory was severe: 12 points ahead of his pursuer. “Never seen before” in Argentina, according to David Copello.
The election on the night of Sunday to Monday of Javier Milei as Argentine president is “surprising”, according to David Copello, researcher in political science at Cergy Paris University and specialist in Argentina. The ultraliberal and controversial candidate, who presents himself as “anti-system” won with 55.95% of the votes, compared to 44.05% for the outgoing Minister of the Economy.
>> Argentina: fan of Donald Trump, climate skeptic, ultraliberal… Who is Javier Milei?
If this victory is surprising, it is “firstly because the polls did not predict it at all, and also because it is very clear: 12 points difference between the two candidates is something that has never been seen in Argentina”assures the researcher Monday November 20 on franceinfo.
Javier Milei “managed to combine between the first and second rounds an anti-caste vote, which was his basic vote, with a vote of rejection of the center-left which is in power”, assures David Copello. “The most upscale neighborhoods voted for him, which was not the case in the first round,” he emphasizes.
On the other hand, the researcher questions the ability of the new president to be able to govern. He “has no governor, no mayor, and only 15% of deputies in the Assembly”, explains David Copello. “Will he succeed in forming a majority of deputies disappointed with the classic right? That seems difficult,” he assures.
Climate skeptic, anti-Pope…
On the program presented by Javier Milei during his campaign, David Copello reacts to his proposal to abolish the Argentine peso, to replace it with the American dollar. A “solution that would work to stop Argentine inflation”but which would lead “great social inequalities and would prevent the State from managing its own economy: it would be the American Central Bank which would decide on Argentine monetary policy”, fears the political science researcher.
On climate, it is considered “climatoskeptic”, by David Copello. The new president wants “reduce state intervention to a minimum”. Result, “all polluting activities of all Argentine economic actors will in no way be limited by State action”, anticipates the specialist. Finally, the researcher discusses Javier Milei’s criticism of the pope, whom he described as “a representative of the evil one on Earth, an accomplice of the communist dictatorships in Venezuela”, analyzes the researcher. Even if this kind of speech “eccentric (…) can be divisive in Argentina”this did not prevent the controversial candidate “to come to power”.