Congress Rejects Milei Vetoes as Thousands Rally in Buenos Aires

Argentina’s lower house of Congress delivered a major blow to President Javier Milei on September 17, 2025, by overturning his vetoes of two key bills aimed at increasing funding for public universities and the country’s main pediatric hospital. The decision, celebrated by tens of thousands of demonstrators outside Congress in Buenos Aires, marks a significant setback for Milei’s austerity-driven administration.

Congress Defies Milei’s Austerity

The Chamber of Deputies, where Milei’s coalition lacks a majority, voted by wide margins to reject the president’s objections. Lawmakers overturned the veto of the Pediatric Health Emergency Law with 181 votes and the National Universities Funding Law with 174 votes, both surpassing the two-thirds threshold required by the Constitution. The bills now move to the Senate for final approval, where the opposition will again need a supermajority.

The Pediatric Health Emergency Law establishes a two-year emergency plan, channeling funds to infrastructure, medicines, vaccines, and pediatric care, with a focus on the Garrahan Children’s Hospital. The University Financing Law updates budgets for national universities and research institutions, and sets new salary scales for staff, aiming to offset the impact of inflation and government spending cuts.

Mass Protests and Political Fallout

Outside Congress, a massive crowd of students, professors, health workers, union members, and opposition supporters gathered, waving banners and chanting slogans such as “the homeland is not for sale” and “save the Garrahan.” The demonstration, one of the largest in recent months, reflected widespread anger over Milei’s sweeping austerity measures, which have hit education and health sectors particularly hard.

Opposition leaders, including Buenos Aires Province Governor Axel Kicillof and former presidential candidate Sergio Massa, hailed the congressional vote as a victory for public services and democratic mobilization. Kicillof declared that “universities are not for sale, hospitals will not be defunded and rights are not negotiable,” while Massa emphasized the need to defend inclusive, high-quality public education and healthcare.

Next Steps and Broader Implications

The government, defending its vetoes as necessary for fiscal balance, warned that increased spending could jeopardize economic stability. However, university rectors and health advocates argue that the proposed budget adjustments do not compensate for years of underfunding and soaring inflation, which reached 211 percent in 2023 and remains high.

The Senate’s upcoming vote will determine whether the bills become law, potentially forcing Milei to adjust his economic strategy. The episode underscores the president’s mounting political challenges, coming on the heels of a recent electoral defeat in Buenos Aires Province and ahead of crucial midterm elections in October.