Argentina’s new populist president has the country’s scientists worried

Argentina’s scientific community is reeling after the election of hard-right populist Javier Milei as president on 19 November. Milei has promised to eliminate the country’s science ministry and dissolve the government agency that funds almost all research at Argentinian universities. He takes office on 10 December.

Milei’s presidential rival – the nation’s finance minister, Sergio Massa – had led Milei in the general election last month, after which the two went to a run-off. At the time, researchers in the country expressed relief because it appeared that Massa was poised to beat Milei. However, most votes that had gone to other candidates in the general election ended up being cast for Milei, and he won with approximately 56% of the vote to Massa’s 44%. Those percentages represent an estimated lead of about 3 million votes for Milei, and Massa quickly conceded defeat.