Argentine President Javier Milei is escalating a dramatic political realignment by severing ties with former President Mauricio Macri, his one-time ally, in a bold attempt to dominate Argentina’s non-Peronist right, according to a Financial Times report that outlines the growing rift within the country’s conservative forces.
Milei, the self-described “anarcho-capitalist” who stormed to power in 2023 with Macri’s backing, has now turned against the traditional centre-right leader, positioning his libertarian La Libertad Avanza (LLA) movement as the sole challenger to Argentina’s powerful Peronist left. The shift sets the stage for a high-stakes battle in the upcoming Buenos Aires city election on May 18 and the national midterms in October.
Macri, who governed Argentina from 2015 to 2019 and has been a central figure on the right for two decades, helped secure Milei’s rise by endorsing him during the 2023 campaign and allowing key figures from his Republican Proposal (PRO) party to join Milei’s cabinet. Yet Milei has declined to offer any formal power-sharing arrangement and is now actively seeking to eclipse the PRO both locally and nationally.
“If you can’t work with the PRO, who saved your bacon five times during this first year and a half…,” Macri lamented during a recent TV interview, trailing off in frustration. Analysts interviewed by the Financial Times say Milei’s strategy is clear: monopolise the anti-Peronist space and force Macri into political retirement.
The Buenos Aires race has become ground zero for this struggle. Milei has nominated his spokesperson, Manuel Adorni, to head LLA’s city list, directly challenging the PRO in its traditional stronghold. Internal LLA sources told the Financial Times that a strong result could permanently marginalise the PRO, potentially relegating it to third place behind the Peronists.
Macri, once a powerful broker within the Argentine establishment, has found himself increasingly isolated. Even Patricia Bullrich, his party’s 2023 presidential candidate and current security minister under Milei, formally joined LLA this week. “The political system has changed,” a Milei official told FT. “If [the PRO] come third, it would be the end of them as a political alternative.”
Tensions between the two camps have erupted into open hostility. Macri has accused Milei of eroding democratic norms, citing his attempt to appoint a controversial Supreme Court judge by decree. In return, Milei has denounced the PRO for running a “dirty campaign” akin to tactics used by the Peronists.
The fracture has also led to public disillusionment. Interviews conducted by the Financial Times in Buenos Aires show some longtime Macri supporters drifting toward Milei for his combative style, while others are abandoning the right entirely. “I won’t vote for the PRO again, because all they care about is power,” said Alejandra Stetler, a 65-year-old teacher.
Macri has reportedly blamed Milei’s influential sister and chief of staff, Karina Milei, for scuttling efforts to form an electoral alliance. Despite internal debate within LLA about whether to pursue deals with the PRO for the midterms, many within the libertarian camp favour crushing the old guard entirely.
While Milei’s move to consolidate power may reshape Argentina’s political landscape, it also carries risks. A weakened conservative alliance could hand electoral victories to the Peronists, especially in Buenos Aires province—normally a tough battleground for the left. Such an outcome might rattle markets, which remain wary after Argentina’s 2019 financial turmoil under Macri’s leadership.
Still, analysts quoted by the Financial Times suggest that unless the PRO stages a surprise comeback or the Peronists win decisively, Milei is likely to remain the dominant force on the right. But the internal damage may be lasting. “The relationship is very damaged,” a former Macri official told FT. “It’s clear that LLA doesn’t believe in coalitions. Macri sees that now. But it cost him a lot to get there.”
