The nationalization of the Buenos Aires elections raised alarms among Peronists due to the split in the Province.

Disillusionment over Leandro Santoro's defeat in Buenos Aires , with a lower-than-expected percentage of votes, reinforced the need for Peronism to avoid divisions in the province of Buenos Aires. Both Kirchnerism and the sector led by Axel Kicillof agreed on this point, although the Buenos Aires elections renewed the discussion about the split ordered by the governor, and the possible candidacy of Cristina Kirchner in the September 7 elections opened another source of tension.

Beyond the gloomy atmosphere on Sunday in the bunker at Ferro —Santoro spoke for less than three minutes in the press room and didn't visit the micro-stadium, where the supporters were waiting for him—the next day saw more contemplative glances at the candidate and the team manager Juan Manuel Olmos than scores. "He gathered the possible votes for Peronism in the capital," was repeated in the final assessment.

Some leaders pointed out that he lacked the intensity to confront Javier Milei and Manuel Adorni in an attempt to attract a larger portion of the so-called "useful vote," or that he struggled to find the right tone, but not even Kirchnerism questioned him for "de-Peronizing" the campaign and dispensing with the president of the PJ (Party of the People's Party) and other national figures from the Union for the Homeland.

The alarm spread to the province of Buenos Aires, with the early elections for legislators and councilors, given the results in Buenos Aires that strengthened La Libertad Avanza and brought down the PRO party . Unión por la Patria's victory in the country's main district in 2023 was largely due to the fragmentation of the other candidates.

“We need the anti-Peronists to be divided. When they get together, we're in trouble,” admitted a Buenos Aires minister. “It's almost certain they'll go together, or they'll present the Libertarian slate with some PRO candidates on it. Peronism needs to be united ,” warned a leader aligned with Cristina Kirchner.

From their headquarters on Matheu Street, they took up the nationalization of the election in the city to once again attack the split imposed by Kicillof. “ Provincialisms don't work. You can't fight a savage government from the districts; we shouldn't balkanize Peronism. We need to have a very strong voice for the election,” Teresa García, secretary general of the PJ (Party of the People's Party), told Clarín. “The voice that needs to be raised from now until the election is Cristina's ,” the provincial senator added.

" What's happening in the city isn't comparable to the province of Buenos Aires . The political representation of the people of Buenos Aires and the province of Buenos Aires has little to do with it," said Carlos Bianco, Minister of Government, in his regular Monday press conference.

Another Cabinet member privately responded to Kirchnerism's criticism of the potential difficulties surrounding the terrain on which the national government will try to conduct the dispute: "It's beyond dispute that street sweepers are never discussed in Buenos Aires City and in the Province. It's always an election with a national agenda, and we're going to fight that battle, with the contrast between the administration in the Province and the territorial work of the mayors pushing from the bottom up."

Cristina Kirchner's possible candidacy for the Third Section of the legislature in the September elections will be another source of internal debate within Peronism. The former president floated this possibility in a meeting with mayors before Kicillof confirmed the split.

Teresa García, in a radio interview this Monday, updated the possibility of this scenario being confirmed: "So far, there hasn't been any change." At the PJ headquarters, they justify this by arguing that the first election, the provincial one, will have an impact on the national election in October. "We have to put our best foot forward, and in the Third, it's her turn," they explained.

In La Plata, they believe Cristina will tease this possibility until the final vote, in order to determine the decisions, with differing views on the tension that would arise if this scenario were confirmed. The mayors in Kicillof's coalition most opposed to Máximo Kirchner are directly speaking of a rupture. "Axel split his campaign so that September 7th would be his election. Would that be fulfilled if she is a candidate?" a mayor of the Third District posed the rhetorical question.

Other figures in the governor's camp are preparing to approach negotiations with a more conciliatory attitude, even if the PJ leader runs in the provincial election. "It will depend on how the rest of the lists are put together. We don't think she will end up deciding that, but we wouldn't have a problem," said one of the ministers, focusing on the need for unity beyond bickering and resentment: "The pressure will be very strong, as a split and a defeat in the Province are very costly. Here, anyone who loses 8 or 9 points is finished."