Bullrich To Support Libertarian Milei In Run-Off: La Nacion

Argentina's La Nacion reporting that Patricia Bullrich, who came third in the 22 October presidential election first-round, is set to announce her backing for libertarian candidate Javier Milei in the 19 November run-off against Peronist Economy Minister Sergio Massa. La Nacion reports that Bullrich met with Milei on the evening of 24 October to discuss a pact. She is also said to have met with former President Mauricio Macri, who heads the conservative Together for Change (JxC) alliance that Bullrich ran under.

• Bullrich's swift endorsement of Milei risks a split in JxC, with the more moderate UCR and Civic Coalition expecting to remain neutral in the run off, refusing to back either the Peronist Massa or non-mainstream Milei.
• Bullrich's support is likely to prove key for Milei's chances of winning the run-off. Garnering 30% of the vote himself, he will need almost all of the 23.8% won by Bullrich to gain a majority.
• Massa stands in the advantageous position of winning a plurality of the vote (36.7%), and is likely to be able to rely on voters from the fourth and fifth-placed candidates - Federal Peronist Juan Schiaretti and far-left Myriam Bregman - transferring their support to his campaign. Combined Schiaretti and Bregman won 9.5% of the vote.
• As such, all else being equal, Massa would only need a small proportion of the Bullrich vote to switch to him, or even remain at home and not vote, to win the run-off.