The mystery has come to an end: former President Cristina Kirchner confirmed she will run in the 2025 local legislative elections in Buenos Aires province.

During an interview with the Herald’s sister channel C5N on Monday night, Kirchner confirmed she would run for the third electoral sector in Buenos Aires province, a region in the outskirts of the Argentine capital that includes the most populous cities in the province. 

This means Kirchner will be running in the September 7 provincial elections, which Governor Axel Kicillof has split from the October 26 national legislative elections.

“It’s common sense. Does someone think that if Peronism doesn’t do well in September, in the provincial elections, in the Peronist stronghold, we can do well in October?” she said, adding that a potential defeat of Peronism in the province due to the split election can “spread” to the rest of the Argentine provinces that will have elections this year.

Kirchner pointed out the importance of unity ahead of the race. “Unity doesn’t necessarily mean you are going to win, but if you run on separate [tickets], you will lose for sure.”

She explicitly criticized Kicillof’s decision to split the election, something she had reportedly addressed in private meetings, calling it “not advisable.” She said Buenos Aires City Mayor Jorge Macri, from the PRO party, had made “a mistake” when he also decided to split the local election, which ended with his party losing to La Libertad Avanza in its traditional stronghold.

“It’s not just a tantrum,” she said of her criticism of Kicillof’s decision. “But now it’s done, and we have to put our backs out there so that Peronism can have its best possible election in the province.”

However, she said she would “never ask a governor to change a decision” she doesn’t agree with. “If I made a decision based on suppositions that ultimately didn’t happen, I would change my decision.”

Asked why she will run for provincial legislator after being president for two terms and vice president for one, she defended her decision. “Some people think politics is like [climbing] steps, and you only go up. You need to leave behind pettiness and ego, and go where you are most needed in the right moment. I think of politics like that, I think of results.”

Parties will have to confirm their tickets on July 19. Kicillof has yet to confirm whether there will be a ticket with the name of his MDF movement, which he launched over the weekend. However, in a rally, he also spoke about a need for unity.

You may also be interested in: Buenos Aires Province is splitting local and national elections. Here’s why that matters