Could this libertarian candidate bring down Argentina's leftist president?

A free-market political maverick is making waves in Argentina after surging in opinion polls ahead of Argentina’s 2023 presidential elections, attacking the current administration’s leftist policies and promising voters total economic freedom.

Although Javier Milei was once known as an eccentric, anti-establishment libertarian economist with a penchant for theatrics, a recent poll from Ricardo Rouvier & Asociados has shown that the former rock musician currently holds 37.7% of the popular vote, second only to the centrist mayor of Buenos Aires, Horacio Rodríguez Larreta, who holds 44.7%.

Ningún candidato obtiene una afirmación de voto de gran significación y esto tiene que ver con la crisis entre la política y la sociedad. Dos dirig. superan el 20%: Larreta y CFK. Sin embargo, entre quienes obtienen mayor "No lo votaría" también está la Vicepres, y se le suma MM. pic.twitter.com/n51KtuiRyn

— Rouvier & Asoc (@RouvierAsoc) April 18, 2022

"In terms of political logic, I am a mistake, because what I have come to do is in fact stamp out the privileges of politicians," Milei told Reuters during an interview in Buenos Aires.

Argentines are no strangers to economic crises and Milei’s rise comes as bad economic policies have left 40% of the South America country’s residents in poverty, left to survive inflation that has neared 60%.

Yet, unlike his populist opponents, Milei has not promised handouts, but rather real economic reform. So far, his platform includes slashing public spending, tackling political corruption, tax cuts and labor market reform. The libertarian challenger has also pledged to eliminate the central bank, promote alternative currencies to the peso, and do away with trade barriers, including exiting the Mercosur trade bloc.

"Argentina has been trying out the recipe for social democracy for 100 years and, from being one of the richest countries in the world, today we are 70th," he said.

But no candidate in Argentina has won the presidency in recent history without entering a coalition with one of the two main political parties – Peronism or the Radical Civic Union.

Peronist President Alberto Fernandez, who will seek reelection next year, has criticized the libertarian’s platform as "right-wing anarchy."

Yet other polls are also showing Milei’s unexpected rise.

"He is rising. That's what all the polls show," said Shila Vilker, director of consultancy Trespuntozero.

"The question is, if he continues to gain, is it going to blow up the whole political system?"

Milei, for his part, feels confident in his changes and believes Argentine’s are ready for a fundamental change to their political and economic reality.

"I don't care who my rivals are on the ballot, I will beat them all," he said.