The ruling "Freedom Moves Forward" party is leading in the mid-term parliamentary elections held in Argentina's capital and in 15 of the 23 provinces, according to vote counts published on the website of the National Electoral Authority.
The ruling party now leads by less than 1 percentage point, including in Buenos Aires province, where 40% of the country's population lives. The main opposition coalition "Strength of the Fatherland" led by former president Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner follows the "Progress of Freedom" in the region.
The elections restored 127 seats in the Chamber of Deputies and 24 seats in the Senate. The by-elections were seen by many observers as a test of the level of approval of the reforms implemented by the administration of President Javier Millais.
After he came to power in December 2023, budget spending was drastically reduced and a package of measures to deregulate the economy was adopted. The government has succeeded in lowering the official poverty rate and slowing inflation.
