In Hamburg, Argentina's President Milei receives a medal, sparking protests by hundreds.
Argentine Ultraliberal President Javier Milei Receives Hayek Society Medal
On a Saturday in Hamburg, the radically libertarian Argentine President Javier Milei was bestowed with a medal by the Friedrich August von Hayek Society. Known for his impassioned and controversial statements, Milei speech on this occasion steered clear of Germany-centric topics, focusing instead on political perspective. The audience, about 200 strong, including former Constitutional Protection President Hans-Georg Maassen and AfD Bundestag member Beatrix von Storch, cheered enthusiastically for Milei. Shouts of "Libertad" (Freedom) echoed around the room.
The following day, Milei, labeling himself an "Anarcho-capitalist," was to be welcomed by Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) at the Berlin Chancellery.
Before the event venue, hundreds gathered under the banner "No Milei in Hamburg." Critics argue that the Hayek Society lacks clear distinction from right-wing populist movements. In 2023, the association presented their Network Prize to Swiss Web Radio Kontrafunk, a media outlet that falls on the political right spectrum, and in 2022, they awarded the blog "Achse des Guten" as well.
The Hayek Society honored Milei's program with this accolade, aiming to enact reforms in Argentina according to the principles of Hayek, the pioneer of neoliberalism. Stefan Kooths, the society’s chairman, lauded Milei, comparing his politics to chemotherapy in his speech. Kooths, a Kiel business economist, acknowledged the harsh side effects but emphasized that without this kind of treatment, Argentina could perish.
In his address, Milei traced his intellectual transformation into a devotee of the so-called Austrian School, which encompasses Hayek (1899-1992) and Ludwig von Mises (1881-1973) among its members. He credited his meteoric rise to success in politics to his resolve to uphold liberal economic ideologies, as the lone voice on media and television talk shows. After receiving over 55% of the votes in the second round of elections the previous year, Milei was elected as president.
