The defeat of Peronism in Buenos Aires province, its historic electoral stronghold, triggered a major internal conflict within Kirchnerism. After the legislative elections, the country's political map revealed a fact that struck the PJ's hard core as an unexpected blow: out of the six provinces still governed by Justicialism, the only one it lost was precisely the Bonaerense territory.
In contrast, in Formosa, Tucumán, Catamarca, La Rioja, and La Pampa, Peronist governors managed to retain their territories without any trouble. The defeat heightened tensions within the movement and put Governor Axel Kicillof in the spotlight, as he was accused of splitting the election against the wishes of the corrupt former president Cristina Kirchner, a decision that many within Peronism now consider decisive in the electoral setback.
Axel Kicillof y Máximo Kirchner.
Leaders aligned with Cristina Kirchner emphasize that the strategy of separating the provincial election, held on September 7, weakened the overall campaign and caused both economic and political strain. They claim that Peronist mayors, affected by the lack of resources to face two consecutive electoral processes, did not get involved with the necessary intensity.
"It was a mistake for Axel to have split the election. Eduardo Duhalde, the Peronist who knows Buenos Aires province best, never did it," those close to the former president repeat.
From Kicillof's camp, however, they reject these accusations. They argue that the number of votes obtained by Peronism in September and October was similar and that the mayors "worked as always." They also attribute the defeat to the lack of appeal of the national ticket. "In September, the leading figures were Axel, (Verónica) Magario, (Gabriel) Katopodis. Now, the names on the ticket didn't attract voters," they claim in the governor's circle.
Cristina Kirchner, condenada por corrupción.
Cristina's allies respond that this explanation is unsustainable, recalling that, according to them, Jorge Taiana, who headed the Fuerza Patria ticket, was chosen by Kicillof himself. They also suggest that splitting the election revealed the electoral strategy prematurely and that the partial victory in September caused an adverse reaction from anti-K sectors.
In some key districts of the Third Electoral Section, where Peronism has historically had a decisive influence, libertarians and other opposition forces managed to grow between one election and the next. For critics, this drop in votes confirms that the Peronist territorial machinery did not operate at full capacity.
Meanwhile, those close to the former president are already talking about "political consequences" for the governor. Leaders within the movement believe that the defeat in Buenos Aires could have consequences for Kicillof's political future and complicate his presidential aspirations for 2027.
