Pro Party's Dialogue with Government Disappoints Anti-Milei Faction Seeking Independent 2027 Run

A newly formed dialogue table between key figures of the government and the Pro party has caused disappointment among Pro members critical of President Javier Milei's administration. These dissenting voices within Pro had been pushing for the party to establish its own presidential candidacy for the 2027 elections, aiming to challenge Milei's La Libertad Avanza (LLA).

The establishment of this regular dialogue, which held its first meeting recently at the Casa Rosada, follows a period where former president Mauricio Macri had been publicly critical of the government during a federal tour. Simultaneously, Hernán Lacunza, a former Economy Minister, had expressed his intention to run for president. The reactivation of dialogue between Macri and Karina Milei, the president's sister and key advisor, led to the creation of this working group.

Representatives from the government included Chief of Staff Diego Santilli and Martín Menem, president of the Chamber of Deputies. Pro was represented by Cristian Ritondo, head of the Pro bloc in the lower house, and Fernando de Andreis, a national deputy and Pro's general secretary. Pro officials described the meeting as a "first step to build joint work and safeguard the change."

However, leaders from the faction advocating for Pro's independent political construction expressed their disillusionment. They conveyed that while they are disappointed by the rapprochement with the government, they intend to continue pursuing their own party's platform in parallel to these official meetings. They hope these periodic encounters do not automatically translate into an electoral agreement. Some regional leaders have denounced the current approach as being driven by Buenos Aires-based figures seeking local alliances, potentially under the influence of Buenos Aires Mayor Jorge Macri and Ritondo, who leads Pro in Buenos Aires province.