In a movement that promises to reconfigure the political scene of the City of Buenos Aires, the head of the Buenos Aires government, Jorge Macri, announced through its social networks a series of structural reforms, among which the splitting of local elections from national elections stands out. In his tweet, Macri justified the measure with the need to prioritize a local agenda:
“Because we want to discuss our own local agenda and give the relevance it deserves to what concerns the people of Buenos Aires, we are going to implement a set of reforms in 2025.”
The announcement comes in a political context marked by promotion of Javier Milei and the consolidation of its space, Freedom Advanceswhich has demonstrated a remarkable ability to polarize public debate and capture citizen discontent. The decision to split the elections is interpreted as an attempt by Macri to preserve the identity and political agenda of the City, distancing it from the national narrative imposed by the Milei: his sister Karina is behind the Buenos Aires armed forces.
A reform with fiscal and political impact
The tweet also included a nod to the electorate concerned about the management of public spending:
“We are going to send a project to the Legislature to suspend the PASO. This implies a saving of 20 billion pesos.”
Although the elimination of open and simultaneous primaries had already been debated at the national level, Macri’s announcement adds a new edge to the debate: the possibility of strengthening Buenos Aires autonomy by detaching local priorities from national disputes. “Buenos Aires first, always,” he closed his message.
A gesture towards Buenos Aires autonomy
The head of government also included other measures in his reform plan for 2025, such as the reduction of tax burden and an institutional reform that promises administrative and management changes. However, it was his emphasis on Buenos Aires autonomy that captured the attention of analysts and opponents. The decision to split the elections reinforces the message that Buenos Aires must be a “truly autonomous” city, as highlighted in its statement.
And the electoral split can also be read as a response to the advance of Milei in the Buenos Aires area. Although the libertarian had an outstanding performance in the last presidential elections, his message of structural change and his criticism of the political status quo has also resonated in the City of Buenos Aires, a square historically dominated by the PRO. By separating local elections, Macri seeks to prevent the national climate, characterized by a high level of polarization, from clouding the debate on specific issues that affect the people of Buenos Aires.
Reactions and possible challenges
The announcement generated immediate reactions. From the Buenos Aires ruling party, it was celebrated as a gesture of autonomy and leadership by Macri, who seeks to mark differences with respect to his cousin, Mauricio Macriand other representatives of Together for Change. On the other hand, sectors of the opposition accused him of using the reforms as a covert electoral strategy to maintain political control of the City.
Furthermore, the budget savings projected by the elimination of PASO could face questions about its true fiscal impact and the democratic costs of suspending a key instance for the selection of candidates. Although the majority of the parties prefer to define the internal ones at a table, pen and thread: in Buenos Aires Peronism, since last week, negotiations have accelerated to elevate Leandro Santorowho celebrated the split as a possibility to get away from a national election that will have Cristina Kirchner as a reference for the opposition. For Milei, on the other hand, the challenge is multiplied, forced in this case to multiply the campaigns: on Buenos Aires soil the candidate would be Manuel Adornialthough many speculate that Patricia Bullrich will compete for a seat in the Senate.
Splitting as an electoral strategy
With this decision, Jorge Macri seems to be betting on a management model that prioritizes the local agenda over the attacks of the national discourse, the same flag that many governors will fly (Axel Kicillof’s decision is expected). The measure also allows you position yourself as a leader split that defends the autonomy of Buenos Aires, a historically sensitive issue for the inhabitants of the City.
In a 2025 that promises to be a year of great definitions, Macri faces the election year with a bold move that, in his own terms, seeks to put Buenos Aires first. Time will tell if this strategy manages to consolidate its leadership or if, on the contrary, it opens new fronts of dispute in the complex Buenos Aires political scene.
by RN
Image gallery
