Tens of thousands of students, teachers, and workers will march in the streets in cities across Argentina on this Wednesday (17), for the Federal University March. The national mobilization was called for by the Argentine University Federation (FUA), the Trade Union Front, and the National Interuniversity Council (CIN), and numerous progressive groups and trade union fronts have pledged support and that they will join them on the streets.
This will be the third mass protest to defend university funding against Argentine President Javier Milei’s austerity policies. The protest will coincide with a teachers’ strike that is taking place in national higher education institutions.
What is happening?
On Wednesday, September 10, 2025, Milei vetoed the University Financing Law, which was set to increase funding for Argentina’s public universities.
The University Financing Law was approved by the Senate on August 22, 2025, and was intended to:
- Adjust teaching and non-teaching salaries in line with inflation
- Update operating expenses
- Provide funds for infrastructure, scholarships, strategic careers, and academic activities
- Progressively increase the university budget from 1% of GDP in 2026 to 1.5% in 2031
- According to the official bulletin, Milei vetoed the law in its entirety because it “disproportionately increases public spending without sufficient resources to cover that spending and creates a fiscal imbalance that undermines macroeconomic stability”, in addition to “seriously jeopardizing the sustainability of public finances.”
The response of the academics and students
Following Milei’s decision, a joint press conference was held in Buenos Aires by the president of the National Interuniversity Council (CIN), Oscar Alpa; the vice president of the organization and rector of the National University of Rosario (UNR), Franco Bartolacci; and the headmaster of the University of Buenos Aires (UBA), Ricardo Gelpi.
University authorities warned of the seriousness of the situation and asked for the support of the Chamber of Deputies and Senators to bring this legislation into force. The headmasters, representing the entire National University System, stressed that the decision has a direct impact on teaching and research projects, as well as on the study and working conditions of students, teachers, and non-teaching staff.
Gelpi, the president of UBA, called for participation in the demonstrations: “This law is not against anyone, it is in favor of everyone, so we appeal to the sensitivity of our people to continue supporting us in this demand … without education, without health, and without science, there is no possible development, there is no future for the country.”
Students also answered the call of the university authorities. With a video under the slogan “Against no one. For everyone. For the future”, the students from Argentine public universities called on citizens to protest Milei’s veto: “We want to study. We want to do so in person and in peace. We want to learn in the classroom. We want to continue to be the university of excellence that we are. And for that, we need the best professors. We need them to stay. We want to continue our education in freedom. Without anyone telling us what to say or how to think. We want to continue to be the pride of our families. The pride of our country. Because public universities are something we are all proud of. Public universities put us at the top. This law is not against anyone. It is in favor of everyone.”
In addition, various other student groups expressed their intention to join the protests. The students of the National High School of Buenos Aires (Colegio Nacional de Buenos Aires) decided in an assembly to occupy the building in rejection of Milei’s veto and to demand more funding. The Construir Student Movement, also called on students to protest Milei’s vetoes starting on Tuesday, September 16.
The students struggle against Milei’s policies
This is the second time that the president has vetoed a law updating budget allocations for universities. The first veto was issued in October 2024 because the law created a “fiscal imbalance”.
According to a report prepared by the Ibero-American Center for Research in Science, Technology, and Innovation (CIICTI) and the Federation of University Teachers (FEDUN), investment in Argentine universities fell by 22.1% in 2024, with an additional decline of 8.6% projected for 2025.
According to statements from the UBA, the presentation of the 2026 budget proposal for university education “only deepens the unprecedented crisis that the UBA is already experiencing. It confirms that professors’ salaries will remain below the poverty line and that there will be cuts in operating expenses for education and science and technology functions.”
The last chance for the University Financing Law depends on the two chambers of Congress, which could, in theory, overturn the presidential veto with a two-thirds majority vote from those present. However, the odds are stacked against the bill. The Chamber of Deputies initially approved the bill with 158 votes in favor, falling short of the necessary support from a two-thirds majority – around 172-174 votes represents two-thirds, depending on attendance.
As a result, the student community, together with professors and university staff, will protest at the Congress to try to pressure more legislatures to support overturning the veto.
Workers from other sectors will join the protest
Other sectors affected by similar measures, such as workers at Garrahan Hospital, teachers, students, and other healthcare professionals, are also expected to participate. On September 11, 2025, Milei vetoed the Pediatric Health and National Health Residences Emergency Law, which declared a two-year state of emergency in pediatric healthcare and ordered the government to immediately allocate resources, restore public sector salaries, and equalize the remuneration of pediatric care staff and resident doctors.
The law was passed in August 2025 and was mainly promoted by doctors at the Garrahan Hospital in Buenos Aires, the country’s main pediatric center, who were demanding an increase in their income and greater budgetary resources for the hospital.
Milei vetoed the law, pointing out that there would be a “direct fiscal impact”, that the law “lacks genuine financing”, and “ambiguous wording that encourages arbitrariness and lack of clarity in implementation mechanisms, deepens wage distortions, compromises essential programs, erodes federal co-participation, and jeopardizes the budgetary stability of the nation and the provinces.”
The vetoes come amid declining support for the government, as demonstrated in the recent legislative elections in Buenos Aires, where the ruling party suffered a clear electoral defeat.
In addition, popular discontent was intensified by the corruption scandal involving Karina Milei, following the release of audio recordings linking her to a bribery scheme related to the purchase of overpriced medicines for people with disabilities.
