BUENOS AIRES, Aug 15 (NNN-AGENCIES) — President Mauricio Macri suffered a crushing defeat as Argentines voted in party primaries ahead of October’s general election.
Given that all of the recession-hit South American country’s major parties have already chosen their presidential candidates, the Sunday primaries effectively served as a nationwide pre-election opinion poll.
Center-left nominee Alberto Fernandez led by around 15 points after partial results were revealed as center-right, pro-business Macri admitted it had been “a bad election.”
The first round of the presidential election will be held on Oct 27, with a run-off — if needed — set for Nov 24.
With 87 percent of polling station results counted, Fernandez had polled 47.5 percent with Macri on a little more than 32 percent and centrist former finance minister Roberto Lavagna a distant third on just 8.3 percent.
If Fernandez was to register the same result in October, he would be president as Argentina’s electoral law requires a candidate to gain 45 percent for outright victory, or 40 percent and a lead of at least 10 points over the nearest challenger.
Macri had been hoping to earn a second mandate, but his chances appear all but over.
“We’ve had a bad election and that forces us to redouble our efforts from tomorrow,” said Macri, whose popularity has plunged since last year’s currency crisis and the much-criticized $56 billion bail-out loan he secured from the International Monetary Fund.
Fernandez had topped the most recent polls, boosted by his choice of running mate — the corruption-tainted but still-popular former president Cristina Kirchner.
Around three-quarters of Argentina’s 34 million eligible voters turned out for what was an obligatory vote, Interior Minister Rogelio Frigerio said.
Argentina is currently in a recession and posted 22 percent inflation for the first half of the year — one of the highest rates in the world.
Poverty now affects 32 percent of the population.
Backed by the IMF, Macri has initiated an austerity plan that is deeply unpopular among ordinary Argentines, who have seen their spending power plummet. — NNN-AGENCIES
