What next month’s presidential run-off means for Argentina’s research community

The scientific community in Argentina is on edge as a far-right presidential candidate who has vowed to eradicate the country’s science ministry and dissolve the government agency that funds most of the research at the country’s universities prepares to fight a run-off election next month. Javier Milei came in a close second behind Argentina’s economy minister, Sergio Massa, in a general election on 22 October, but neither candidate garnered enough votes to win the presidency outright.

Milei, who came in around seven points behind Massa, wants to privatise or eliminate Argentina’s main science agency known as the National Scientific and Technical Research Council (Conicet), which funds the work of about 12,000 scientists at 300 research institutions across the country. One of the two men will be elected president in a November 19 run-off vote. The country’s current president, Alberto Fernandez, announced back in April that he would not seek re-election amid a fragile economy and massive inflation.