A Fragile Start: The New Political Table
Just days after a much-publicized rapprochement between Argentina's ruling party and the opposition PRO, cracks are already showing. On Monday, August 10, 2026, Karina Milei (Secretary General of the Presidency and sister of President Javier Milei) and former President Mauricio Macri spoke by phone, followed by a formal meeting at the Casa Rosada on Thursday, August 13. The newly formed political table includes Fernando de Andreis and Cristian Ritondo representing Macri's PRO; Martín Menem (president of the Chamber of Deputies) and Eduardo 'Lule' Menem (head of the Senate's LLA bloc) for the ruling party; and Cabinet Chief Diego Santilli. They agreed to meet every two weeks, but the immediate disagreements over electoral reform and candidate selection for the 2027 general elections have put the alliance to the test.
PASO: The First Battlefield
At the heart of the dispute is Argentina's primary election system, known as PASO (Primarias Abiertas Simultáneas y Obligatorias). These are open, simultaneous, and mandatory primaries held before general elections, allowing parties to select their candidates. The Milei administration wants to eliminate or suspend them, and a bill to that effect was submitted to the Senate on April 22, 2026. However, PRO leaders, including De Andreis, are defending the system. “The PASO are a tool that works and provides legitimacy. Personally, I believe they should be maintained,” De Andreis said publicly. This stance complicates the government's plans, as it needs PRO votes in Congress to pass the reform.
“Mauricio has doubts about what to do,” admitted sources within PRO's leadership. Some governors, such as Maximiliano Pullaro, have reportedly advised Macri to support the elimination, but the former president remains cautious.
The Battle Over Buenos Aires City
Another flashpoint is the city of Buenos Aires (CABA), a historical PRO stronghold since 2007. Karina Milei has ordered national officials to step up activities in the district and boost LLA's local presence. The main libertarian figure in the city, Pilar Ramírez, is pushing a political reform that would abolish the city's own primaries and strip the mayor's office of the power to set the election date, transferring it to the City Legislature. This libertarian incursion into PRO's turf comes amid an internal feud between Mauricio Macri and his cousin Jorge Macri, the current mayor, over the latter's re-election bid.
PRO Between Absorption and Autonomy
The Thursday meeting at the Casa Rosada left mixed feelings. People close to Macri say the former president considered the meeting “negative,” while De Andreis gave a more optimistic private version. Many analysts believe the PRO is heading toward absorption by the libertarian movement, but not all are on board. Ignacio Torres, governor of Chubut, warned that “a mere electoral gathering makes no sense if it's only to win an election.” Meanwhile, Hernán Lacunza, a presidential hopeful backed by Macri, has no plans to drop his candidacy and has already expressed disagreement with some of the government's economic policies.
Peronism Watches and Moves
Meanwhile, the Peronist opposition is closely monitoring the situation. On Tuesday, August 11, a group of leaders—including Axel Kicillof (governor of Buenos Aires province), Máximo Kirchner (leader of La Cámpora), Sergio Massa (former economy minister), several Peronist governors, and bloc chiefs—met at a hotel in the Retiro neighborhood to coordinate a common defense of the PASO system. Another Peronist summit is scheduled for Wednesday, August 19, with the participation of Emilio Monzó and Miguel Pichetto. In the Buenos Aires province, Kirchnerism has tightened its grip on Governor Kicillof, who recently added the controversial figure Santiago Cúneo to his political space. Polls show a challenging environment for the government: according to the University of San Andrés, 57% of Argentines believe the country has worsened, and 61% disapprove of President Milei's performance.
An Uncertain Road to 2027
With electoral rules, candidate lists, and territorial distribution on the table, the negotiation promises to be long and complex. The government wants to secure legislative victories before the end of the month, the PRO is trying to preserve its identity, and Peronism hopes to exploit any cracks. The next meeting of the joint table is set for two weeks from now, but few doubt that new sparks will fly before then.