ARGENTINIAN President Javier Milei scored decisive victories in key districts in Sunday’s midterm elections, securing a crucial vote of confidence to push forward his US-backed market reforms.

His Freedom Advances party took more than 40 per cent of the vote against 31 per cent for the left-leaning Peronist opposition, exceeding expectations in what was seen as a referendum on his two years in office.

The results give Mr Milei and his allies 14 new Senate seats and 64 in the lower house, strengthening his hand in Congress.

Mr Milei declared: “The Argentine people have decided to leave behind 100 years of decadence.”

The win automatically positions him as a frontrunner for re-election in 2027 and consolidates backing from the Trump administration, which has supported his economic overhaul.

Inflation has dropped from 289 per cent in April 2024 to 32 per cent last month under his austerity drive, but many Argentinians say wages and pensions have not kept pace.

“You can’t live on 290,000 pesos a month with today’s inflation,” said pensioner Epifania Contreras, 64.

Voting turnout was just under 68 per cent — one of the lowest since Argentina’s 1983 return to democracy, despite compulsory voting.