Argentina’s Congress delivered a significant blow to President Javier Milei on Wednesday, voting overwhelmingly to restrict his ability to govern by decree, marking the latest setback for the right-wing leader.
The lower house Chamber of Deputies approved an amendment to a bill regulating presidential decrees by 140 votes in favor, 80 against, and 17 abstentions. The legislation, already passed by the Senate, allows a single chamber of Congress to overturn a presidential decree—a shift from the previous requirement that both houses reject an order. The bill now returns to the Senate for final approval, which is expected.
Milei, whose La Libertad Avanza party holds a minority in parliament, has issued more than 70 decrees since taking office in December 2023 to advance his austerity agenda. The vote is the latest in a series of challenges confronting the 54-year-old president, who is grappling with internal party scandals, a run on the peso that forced him to seek financial assistance from Washington last month, and three prior congressional votes overturning some of his spending vetoes.
Known for his outsider rhetoric, Milei has repeatedly criticized Congress as a “nest of rats” and denounced its members as a “political caste.” Earlier this week, he sought to bolster his public image by headlining a concert to mark the release of his latest book, in which he promotes what he calls his economic “miracle.”
Despite these efforts, Milei faces growing vulnerability ahead of the midterm elections on October 26, when half of the Chamber of Deputies and one-third of the Senate will be elected. His party suffered a major defeat last month in Buenos Aires provincial elections, a key bellwether of his popular support, losing decisively to the center-left.
