BUENOS AIRES - Delivering the speech that opened the new congressional session, President Javier Milei said Argentina needs a fundamental revision of its tax system and signaled additional reform initiatives that his administration plans to pursue in 2026.
"We need lower taxes because the tax system must serve growth, not the revenue needs of whoever is in office," Milei said, framing tax reduction as a mechanism to support economic expansion rather than simply to meet budgetary demands.
Beyond tax changes, the president listed further priorities for his administration. He said the government will press for modifications to the country's electoral system and for revisions to the criminal code. Milei characterized these measures as part of a broader reform agenda that will continue into 2026.
The president's remarks followed a recent legislative victory. On Friday, Congress approved a set of labor reforms that have drawn sharp attention. The measures were described as contentious, and critics contend the changes will make it easier for companies to lay off workers.
Those labor reforms came on the heels of the president's solid showing in October's midterm elections, an outcome that preceded the congressional approval and bolstered the government's position in advancing its agenda.
Context and immediate implications
Milei presented tax reduction as the central economic policy objective in his opening address, stating that the fiscal framework should support growth. He also named electoral and criminal code reform as legislative priorities, and tied the government's capacity to advance its program to recent parliamentary developments.
- Congress has already approved contentious labor reforms that critics argue lower protections against layoffs.
- The government intends to pursue further reforms in 2026 that it considers essential, including changes to electoral rules and criminal legislation.
- The passage of the labor package followed the president's strong performance in October's midterm elections, according to the sequence of events outlined in the address.
Reporting noted the sequence of reform efforts and political developments as presented in the presidential address and recent congressional action.