Argentina has produced a surprise. After a string of economic and currency crises, failures, scandals, and humiliations, Javier Milei – “anarcho-capitalist” (in his own words), chainsaw artist, rock star cosplayer, and also president – has snatched victory from the jaws of defeat. Where many observers – this one included – expected or hoped for a trouncing for the budget-slashing bad boy, he has proved us wrong.

Milei and his party La Libertad Avanza (Liberty Advances), LLA, have scored a clear victory in Argentina’s crucial midterm Congress elections. By Monday, preliminary results showed LLA gaining over 40% of the vote and leading in most of Argentinian provinces. The opposition alliance did much worse than expected, gathering less than a third of ballots cast. Turnout (68%) was the lowest since 1983. But it was not much lower than for the last midterm election (71.8%).

Milei has claimed the elections mark a “historic day” for his country. That hyperbole is due to his enormous vanity and histrionic temperament. But there is no doubt that the immediate political consequences of his resurgence are far-reaching. Now controlling enough seats in both the lower and upper houses of Argentina’s parliament, his presidential veto power cannot be challenged. In general, he is in a position to continue his radical-right-libertarian reforms. Milei’s wish........

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