Without needing to formally launch a presidential candidacy, Axel Kicillof is beginning to consolidate as the main opposition reference to Javier Milei’s government, according to polls released in recent days. While other sectors of Peronism raise internal discussions, the Buenos Aires governor seeks to step away from that fight and focus his discourse on confrontation with the Casa Rosada. The surveys suggest that this strategy is yielding results: in a scenario where Peronism appears as the opposition with the greatest volume against the ruling party, Kicillof stands out above other leaders of the space, including Cristina Kirchner, who completed a year under house arrest.
One of the surveys is from Casa Tres, the consultancy firm led by Mora Jozami. The study openly asked who respondents considered the main opposition leader to Milei’s government and compared the answers with those obtained at the start of the libertarian administration. By a wide margin, Kicillof topped the mentions with 34%, well above the 6% he registered at the beginning of the government. Cristina Kirchner appeared in second place with 19% of responses, also above the 6% she had obtained at the start of 2024. Further behind was Sergio Massa: only 2% pointed to him as the main opposition figure, down from the 6% he gathered in the early months of Milei’s administration.
Behind the main Peronist leaders appear figures from other spaces and also non-partisan actors. Mauricio Macri — who in recent weeks has made some moves to relaunch the PRO, in a context also marked by Diego Santilli’s rise to Chief of Cabinet — was mentioned by 7% as an opposition leader, up from 2% in 2024. Myriam Bregman, a FIT deputy, was slightly further behind with 6%, also rising from 1% at the start of Milei’s term. Since it was an open-ended question, journalism also appeared in the responses, cited by 8% as the main opposition reference to the government. In contrast, the CGT, which at the beginning of the libertarian administration was mentioned by 4% in that role, today has practically ceased to be seen as a central opposition actor.
An image poll, this time from the consultancy Opina Argentina led by Facundo Nejamkis, placed Kicillof as the political leader with the best image, with 44% positive and 52% negative. Overall, this is almost identical to the head of the La Libertad Avanza Senate bloc, Patricia Bullrich, who had 44% positive and 53% negative. But in the breakdown, while Kicillof had 31% «very positive» ratings, Bullrich only obtained 26%. She was followed by Myriam Bregman with 43% positive and 48% negative, a drop of five points from the previous month. Next were Cristina Kirchner with 42% in favor and 55% against, and Milei with 39% positive image and 58% negative. After leading all image polls for about two years, Milei now ranks fifth, and only former Chief of Cabinet Manuel Adorni surpasses him in disapproval.
kicillof lider opositor? jajaja para mi esa encuesta la hicieron en la matanza con los planeros. 34% trucho, cristina ya fue y massa es un fantasma. milei los va a barrer a todos estos zurdos en 2025. viva la libertad carajo!
Para mí Kicillof es el único que le planta cara al pelotudo de Milei, los otros son unos vendidos. Cristina ya fue, Massa ni existió. Esto huele a que los medios quieren dividirnos, pero yo creo que Kicillof es el verdadero líder. ¡Vamos carajo!