By The Rio Times | Created at 2026-09-17 10:41:57 | Updated at 2026-09-17 11:13:10
54 minutes ago
ARGENTINA · POLITICS
Key Facts
- —What happened Javier Milei reached 1,000 days as president of Argentina on 16 September 2026.
- —The poll Explanans found 58.2% rate his government negatively and 41.8% positively, his worst reading so far.
- —The mood 57.4% of those surveyed say government measures have left them worse off. 21.9% say better off.
- —The floor holds In a first-round vote he still leads with 38.5%, against 24% for Axel Kicillof.
- —The ceiling does not In a head-to-head runoff the same poll puts Kicillof at 43.1% and Milei at 41.9%.
- —The fieldwork 7,015 responses gathered between 2 and 9 September across 91 cities.
The worst approval numbers of his presidency, and he is still the leading candidate. Both things are in the same poll.
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Javier Milei passed 1,000 days as Argentina’s president on 16 September 2026. A survey by the consultancy Explanans put his negative rating at 58.2%, the worst of his term. The same survey still shows him leading a first-round vote with 38.5%.
The Numbers
Explanans surveyed 7,015 people between 2 and 9 September across 25 urban clusters in 91 cities.
Negative assessments of the government reached 58.2% and positive ones 41.8%.
The average score fell to 4.4 out of 10, down from 4.6 in June.
Nearly half of respondents, 47.5%, gave the government the lowest possible score of one.
The Economy People Feel
57.4% said government measures had left them worse off.
21.9% said they were better off and 20.7% saw no change.
Inflation has fallen sharply since 2023, which is the government’s central claim.
Wages, pensions and employment have not recovered at the same pace, which is the counter-claim.
Why He Still Leads
In a first round the poll gives Milei 38.5% against 24% for Buenos Aires governor Axel Kicillof.
Myriam Bregman takes 10.4%, Sergio Massa 6.1% and Mauricio Macri 3.7%.
Around 17.3% are undecided, blank or name someone else.
A fragmented opposition lets a leader with a 58% negative rating stay first past the post.
Where It Turns
In a head-to-head runoff the same survey puts Kicillof at 43.1% and Milei at 41.9%.
Blank votes account for 8.8% and non-responses 6.2%.
That gap is inside the margin of most surveys, so the pairing is effectively level.
The pattern is a hard electoral floor and a low ceiling, which is what a polarising presidency produces.
What the 1,000 Days Contain
Milei took office in December 2023 with a devaluation and deep cuts to public spending.
Monthly inflation fell from the peaks of early 2024, and the fiscal accounts moved into surplus.
Subsidies, public works and transfers to provinces were cut to get there.
The cost has landed on pensioners, universities and public-sector employment.
The Warning Signs Around Him
The Universidad Torcuato Di Tella index put the probability of recession at 82% in August.
The Fundar think tank counts more than 31,000 employer companies lost since he took office.
Poverty rose again in the first half of 2026.
However, country risk and the exchange rate have both been steadier than in the first two years.
What a Single Poll Can and Cannot Tell You
Explanans is one consultancy, and Argentine polling has missed badly in recent cycles.
The fieldwork is urban, which under-represents rural and small-town voters.
No margin of error was published with the release.
The direction of travel, from 4.6 to 4.4 since June, is the more reliable signal than any single percentage.
What to Watch
Whether other consultancies show the same runoff pairing in the coming weeks.
Real wage and employment data, which move approval numbers with a lag.
The 2027 budget negotiation in Congress, where Milei has no majority.
And whether Kicillof consolidates the opposition vote or splits it with Massa.
More: Latin America news and analysis, every day from The Rio Times.
Frequently Asked Questions
What did the poll find?
Explanans put negative assessments of Milei’s government at 58.2% and positive at 41.8%, his worst reading so far.
Who was surveyed?
7,015 people between 2 and 9 September 2026, across 25 urban clusters in 91 cities.
Does he still lead?
Yes. In a first round the poll gives him 38.5% against 24% for Axel Kicillof.
What about a runoff?
Kicillof takes 43.1% and Milei 41.9%, a gap small enough to call the pairing level.
How do people feel about the economy?
57.4% say government measures left them worse off. 21.9% say better off.
When did the 1,000 days start?
Milei took office in December 2023 and reached 1,000 days on 16 September 2026.
Sources: Explanans survey published 16 September 2026, reported by Infobae and Los Andes; Universidad Torcuato Di Tella recession index; Fundar company data.
