Public confidence in Argentina’s government has dropped sharply, falling 13.6% in August to the lowest level since President Javier Milei took office in December 2023, according to a survey by the University Torcuato Di Tella.
The Government Confidence Index (ICG), compiled monthly by the university’s School of Government, rated Milei’s administration at 2.12 points on a scale from 0 to 5. The score is down from 2.45 in July and represents a 16.5% decline compared to August 2024, when the index stood at 2.54.
“The confidence in the Government reaches its lowest value since the beginning of Javier Milei’s mandate, interrupting the relative stability observed in the previous four months,” the report stated.
The survey, conducted between August 1 and 14 by Poliarquía Consultores, was completed before recent corruption allegations against government officials surfaced. The accusations involve leaked audio recordings pointing to bribe-taking at the National Disability Agency (Andis).
The August results showed declines across all five components of the index: honesty of officials (2.54 points, -9.9%); ability to address national problems (2.46, -14.6%); efficiency in managing public spending (2.10, -13.2%); overall evaluation of the government (1.78, -12.8%); and concern for the public interest (1.73, -18.2%).
Confidence fell most among women and younger respondents aged 18 to 29. Regionally, the sharpest declines were registered in Buenos Aires city (-28.2%) and Buenos Aires province (-23.3%), compared with a more moderate drop of 7.4% in the country’s interior. The provincial results are viewed as significant ahead of legislative elections scheduled for September 7 in Buenos Aires province.
Since Milei took office, the ICG has averaged 2.48 points. This figure is slightly lower than the 2.58 average recorded during the first 20 months of Mauricio Macri’s administration (2015–2019) but above the 2.17 average under Alberto Fernández (2019–2023).
Published monthly since November 2001, the ICG has shown a consistent correlation with electoral outcomes. The August survey covered 1,000 adults across 41 localities with more than 10,000 residents.
