Argentina could get its first libertarian president

Hard rock blared from the speakers as 10,000 fans cheered. An image of a roaring lion surrounded by fire lit up the screen. Jumping on stage, a man in a leather jacket whipped the crowd into a frenzy. “I am the lion!” he cried. “I am the king in a lost world!” It was not a rock concert. The speaker was Javier Milei, a libertarian who hopes to become Argentina’s next president, at a recent rally. On August 13th Mr Milei took the most votes in national primaries, in which Argentines selected candidates to compete in presidential and legislative elections scheduled for October 22nd, with the top-scoring candidate from each party going through to the main vote. Because voting is mandatory, the poll is widely seen as the best indicator of who might win the presidency.