The Buenos Aires Legislature is preparing to renew 30 seats in the elections on May 18, an event that puts the representation of several political groups at stake, with Peronism and Libertad Avanza (LLA) risking the largest number of seats. It is important to highlight that, although the PRO achieves 20 percent of the votes, only three of the six contested seats actually belong to this group, since two are from the Civic Coalition and one more from the space Volvamos Buenos Aires, led by former Mayor Horacio Rodríguez Larreta.
Currently, of the 12 deputies supporting the Buenos Aires government, only eight belong to the ruling party, and of these, only Dario Nieto will run again for re-election. If the PRO obtains six seats, the ruling block will have 11 legislators aligned with Mayor Jorge Macri. The PRO faces the challenge of competing for the same electorate as Rodríguez Larreta, who is running as a legislator alongside Senator Guadalupe Tagliaferri and Emanuel Ferrario. The PRO's list of candidates includes prominent figures like the Minister of Economic Development, Hernán Lombardi, and spokesperson Laura Alonso.
For its part, Libertad Avanza risks 80 percent of its seats, as of the eight seats it holds, six are at stake. Of the six legislators with a mandate until 2027, five belong to the Macri bloc and one to the Civic Coalition. Caruso Lombardi, if he manages to obtain 3 percent of the votes, could become the surprise of the election and join the MID block, which currently has two guaranteed seats until 2027. With the electoral landscape constantly evolving, all eyes are on the results of May 18, which will determine not only the contested seats but also the political future of the city.
Adorni faces a significant challenge, as he needs to reach nearly 20 percent of the votes to maintain his representation, competing not only with the PRO but also with the libertarian Ramiro Marra, who is running for UCEDE after being expelled from LLA. Another block that risks more than 45 percent of its seats is Unión por la Patria (UxP), which presents itself under the slogan 'Ahora Buenos Aires' and re-nominates Leandro Santoro, a former candidate for Mayor. In contrast, the PRO only risks three places in this crucial contest.
Current polls suggest that the main candidates, Silvia Lospennato (PRO), Leandro Santoro (Peronism), and Manuel Adorni (LLA), are in a technical tie, which could result in minimal changes in the legislative composition. The Left Front will also have to renew the seats of Gabriel Solano and Andrea D'Atri, nominating national legislator Vanina Biasse, who will be accompanied on the lists by Luca Bonfante and Celeste Fierro. Additionally, the former Chief of Staff of Kirchnerism, Juan Manuel Medina; Buenos Aires deputy Yamil Santoro; and football technical director Ricardo Caruso Lombardi, who competes for the MID, join the race. UxP, with 18 seats, risks eight, and according to polls, should not face problems in maintaining its first minority since December 2023.
The UxP list includes the vice-dean of the Faculty of Medicine, Claudia Negri; Federico Mochi; Andrea Mariana González from Patria Grande; Juan Pablo Modarelli; Noemí Geminiani, who seeks re-election; and Alejandro 'Pitu' Salvatierra. The UCR-Evolución bench, aligned with Martín Lousteau, has eight seats and risks only three. This group promotes university leader Lucille Levy, known for her active participation in protests against budget cuts in universities, and will be accompanied by Facundo Cedeira and Jésica Barreto. The Civic Coalition, with three legislators currently, seeks to maintain its representation as it needs to obtain two seats.
