Milei had argued that the tens of millions of dollars it costs to run the primaries were incompatible with his cost-cutting drive. But analysts said the government would also benefit because Argentina’s fragmented opposition parties would be denied an opportunity to organise themselves ahead of midterm elections in October.

Argentina’s Senate voted Thursday to scrap primary elections, delivering a major legislative victory to President Javier Milei just as he faces intense scrutiny over his role in a crypto rug pull that wiped $4.