Milei’s 1,000 days: achievements, defining crises and shortcomings of his administration

Javier Milei has spent 1,000 days in Argentina’s Casa Rosada, a period marked by an aggressive fiscal adjustment, economic gains and persistent weaknesses in wages and employment.

He took office on Dec. 10, 2023, after defeating Sergio Massa in a runoff. The libertarian outsider arrived with a pronounced congressional minority, no governors from his own party, no established party structure and a team that was still taking shape.

More than two and a half years later, the government can point to lower inflation, a reduction in poverty and the achievement of a fiscal surplus as its main economic results. Those gains came with a heavy adjustment to public accounts, while salaries and jobs remain among the administration’s major unresolved issues.

In Congress, Milei demonstrated an ability to build alliances and reach agreements with opposition lawmakers, including Peronist governors who depended on access to federal funds. Those arrangements allowed his government to approve structural reforms.

The government faced a difficult stretch in 2025 after losing the Buenos Aires provincial election in September, worsening its legislative and economic position. Financial assistance from the United States and a change in strategy helped Milei win the October national elections, giving the president a major boost and restoring stability. Yet from March to June, the Adorni case caused severe political damage. The corruption scandal became the most damaging episode for Milei’s image since he took office.