Martín Menem conditioned electoral alliances with governors for 2027 on an agreement over the reform agenda

Martín Menem spoke about the tension with governors over the ruling party's alliances ahead of 2027 The Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies, Martín Menem, conditioned La Libertad Avanza's future electoral alliances with governors for 2027 on there being agreement on the reform agenda promoted by President Javier Milei. The statement became known while the Casa Rosada is negotiating legislative backing with provincial governors and begins to outline its strategy for next year. "Do we want to win an election or do we want a country for the next 40 years?" Menem posed during a gathering of libertarian leaders held on Friday in Tigre, under the slogan Toward a Prosperous Argentina. His speech revolved around the difference between building agreements for an electoral victory and reaching understandings that sustain the ruling party's economic and institutional program. The position of the head of Deputies, who is also national vice president of La Libertad Avanza, gains relevance due to his participation in the political leadership of the party led by Karina Milei. The message fits into a debate that runs through both the party organization and the relationship with allies: the Government needs votes in both chambers to advance its projects, but it must also resolve with whom it will compete in each district in 2027. "I want to be clear about what we are thinking for the future, because a lot is said, but political coalition-building is a very complex matter, because it has to do with what we want," Menem said. And he added: "One thing is wanting to win and another is wanting Argentina to arrive well in the next 40 years." Martín Menem is the national vice president of La Libertad Avanza The warning came at a time of conversations between the Casa Rosada and governors from various political camps. The ruling party seeks to gather backing for the suspension of the PASO primaries, the 2027 Budget, and other initiatives of the Executive Branch, in negotiations that include provinces' fiscal demands, management requests, and differences over the content of the bills. In parallel, another political discussion opens up. Most governors have already decided to split their elections, while they define how they will form their local coalitions and what relationship they will maintain with a potential reelection bid by Javier Milei. La Libertad Avanza, chaired by General Secretary Karina Milei, will have to decide whether to present its own lists, share candidates with provincial forces, or agree to broader fronts. Menem set a condition for that stage. "It would be much easier to move forward and quickly close agreements with any governor who crosses our path and reach electoral alliances. But if we want this to last and endure over time, what we have to do is have similar programmatic agendas," he stated before the participants. The phrase drew a distinction between parliamentary cooperation and integration into an electoral coalition. A governor can support the Government in a specific vote, even on a law central to the ruling party, without that backing implying sharing candidates in the elections. The Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies detailed the points that should make up that common agenda: "Lowering taxes, continuing to deregulate, legal security, predictability, not changing the rules on people," he listed. He then noted that this process had begun with an eye toward 2027. The enumeration offered a signal about the criteria with which the libertarian leadership will evaluate its future agreements. The condition was not linked to names or candidacies, but to the direction of the public policies that potential partners should accompany. Nor did it imply ruling out negotiations with governors from forces other than the ruling party. Karina Milei, Martín Menem and the rest of the political leadership The challenge for La Libertad Avanza will be to manage those conversations on two levels that do not always coincide. In Congress, the Government requires majorities built with blocs and legislators from different provinces. On the electoral front, each agreement involves decisions about candidates for governor, national legislators, mayors, and local leaders. Added to that scenario is the debate over the electoral system. The eventual elimination or suspension of the PASO primaries, one of the objectives promoted by the ruling party, could modify the timelines and mechanisms for selecting candidates. It could also accelerate the definition of coalitions before the formal start of the campaign, especially in provinces where several forces seek to associate themselves with the presidential candidacy. The province of Buenos Aires also occupied a place in the presentation. Menem stated that there will be played "the mother of all battles," referring to the weight of the Buenos Aires competition. The district concentrates a decisive portion of the national electorate and represents one of the main territorial challenges for La Libertad Avanza, which will seek to expand its representation and contest the provincial government. Santiago Oría, linked to the President's audiovisual communications, and economist Federico Domínguez also participated in the gathering. However, Menem's intervention went beyond the party activity and laid bare the criterion that the libertarian leadership intends to apply to those who aspire to join its electoral coalition. The statement kept the margin for negotiation with governors and other forces open, although it anticipated a distinction between legislative allies and electoral partners. While the Casa Rosada seeks the votes for its parliamentary agenda, Menem stated that the agreements for 2027 will have to include agreement on the reforms that Milei intends to deepen in a potential second term.