By Elaheh Tahmasebi
TEHRAN- The results of Argentina's August 14 primary presidential election offer insight into the accumulated social dissolution of the voters.
In their hopes of creating a positive change, they abandoned the two traditional political forces of Peronism and the center-right and risked chaos by boosting the chances of a far-right victory.
In what was quite a shock, the far-right movement ended up defying the odds and celebrated the night of Argentina's primary election.
The radical libertarian economist Javier Milei won the most votes with 30 percent of the ballot boxes, and the center-right opposition coalition "Together for Change" came in second with 28.1 percent of the vote.
The important point is that the win by main opposition was secured with the combined vote count for two of "Together for Change" candidates: Patricia Bullrich, a former Security Minister and Horacio Larreta, the mayor of the capital Buenos Aires.
In this way, Sergio Massa, the current minister of economy representing Peronism, was the second candidate with the highest number of votes, securing 21.4%; but overall, the Peronism coalition came in third with its worst primary results since 2011.
The mandatory nature of Argentina's voting system has always seen high voter turnout.
However, there were signs of less enthusiasm to go to the polls during the local and regional elections, with a voter turnout of 69.6 percent, making it one of the lowest turnouts on record for a presidential election since the country's return to democracy in 1983.
In addition, this election registered 4.78% of white voters, and 1.21% of votes were determined invalid.
More than anything else, Argentina's primary elections to choose candidates are in effect a dress rehearsal for October's national presidential elections, but the outcome has deepened the sense of mounting political uncertainty in the country.
A country dominated for years by two established movements, Peronism and the center-right, has now been rocked by a far-right candidate winning the majority of the primary election. The two traditional Argentine movements have between now and October to repair the cracks created by the far-right.
Over the past few years, the political climate had already been dealt a shock by Javier Milei's proposals to dollarize the economy, privatize state-owned companies, abolish the central bank, allow the sale of arms as well as enable the purchase of body organs.
The 52-year-old has once again revived the memories of politicians such as Donald Trump (whom he admires), and Jair Bolsonaro, the former presidents of the United States and Brazil; especially when the far-right candidate jumps at every opportunity to denounce social welfare programs that have benefited the deprived sections of society.
More focus should be considered on the losers of Argentina's political landscape in the aftermath of the August 14 primary elections than the winner.
In other words, Javier Milei, becoming the most popular politician in Argentina, can be seen in a light that shines on many factors that override his own campaign.
The unexpected results of the primary vote are evidence of the social discontent prevailing in the country. Argentines who ticked the name of the far-right candidate at the ballot boxes can be placed in the category of a protest vote.
What is evident is that more than a decade of economic stagnation and the worsening cost-of-living crisis during the government of Alberto Fernandez created a growing sense of despair among the nation. This led to the support of a third of the voters for a candidate who saw the traditional parties that the president introduced to blame for Argentina's problems.
Sergio Massa, the government-backed candidate, can be viewed as a victim of Argentina's dire economic conditions.
The same economic crisis that the people of this country suffer from every day, inflation has reached over 100%, poverty is on the rise and while the country has negative net foreign currency reserves of $4.5 billion to $7 billion, the International Monetary Fund is lurking in the background demanding the repayment of a huge loan.
Hopes of the Peronist candidate's victory appeared so low that incumbent President Alberto Fernandez and his Vice President Cristina Kirchner withdrew from the race, with the Peronist's Massa entering the campaign alone.
However, by taking advantage of the low cohesion among the conservative opposition bloc and winning over uncertain and moderate voters, it is possible to swing the momentum back in favor of the ruling coalition.
The other loser of the election was the center-right Together for Change bloc, with voters never taking its candidate Horacio Larreta seriously and scrutinizing him as a possible ally of the coalition's other nominee, the hardline conservative Patricia Bullrich after the primaries.
The faction's two candidates competed against each other to such an extent that they ended up presenting an incoherent representation of government opposition that even traditional voters turned their backs on, and the cost was high: Javier Milei came out on top.
Despite Bullrich's superiority over Larreta, the former security minister needs the conciliatory face of the two-term Buenos Aires city mayor to get more votes.
On the other hand, former president Mauricio Macri will play a key role in ensuring the internal unity of Together for Change coalition and mobilize voters.
The vote for a far-right candidate whose possible government would have no ministries of statistics, social development or health, and whose libertarian governance image would spell the end of his government; yet nevertheless represents the exhaustion of Argentines' patience after a long term of economic crisis, whereby they were willing to take the risks.
This is despite the chaos that could ensue after a far-right radical candidate potentially takes office.
Over the past weeks, Milei managed to tap into the prevailing dissatisfaction of the people against the traditional political elites by resorting to powerful rhetoric against the political system.
Javier Milei's main challenge before the national elections is to consolidate the votes he won in the primary elections. Moreover, trying to add more votes will certainly be at odds with his previous mistakes, such as the controversial statements that have damaged his image in the past.
It remains to be seen whether the fate of Argentina will fall in the hands of an outsider who said "I did not get in here to be leading the lambs, I came to wake up the lions" in the first hours after his initial victory in the primary elections, or whether Peronism and the opposition coalition will take advantage of the alarm of these results in the weeks leading to the October 22, 2023 presidential election.
They can win and turn the competition around.
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