Argentines go to polls to elect new president
People in Argentina are casting their ballots in the country’s general election to pick the successor to President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner.
Polling stations opened at 8:00 a.m. local time (11.00 GMT) on Sunday and will close at 06:00 p.m. local time (21.00 GMT).
On Sunday, Argentines will also elect 130 of the nation’s 257 deputies as well as 24 of the 72 senators.
There are reportedly some 30 million eligible voters in the South American country, including many under the age of 20.
Latest opinion polls put Buenos Aires provincial governor, Daniel Scioli, who is supported by Kirchner, just shy of 40 percent support.
Scioli has vowed gradual change, noting that he will stick with Kirchner’s popular welfare programs.
According to the opinion polls, support for Scioli’s rivals, center-right Mauricio Macri and centrist Sergio Massa stands at around 30 and 20 percent, respectively.
To win the presidency in Argentina, a candidate needs 45 percent of votes or at least 40 percent with a 10-percent lead over his closest challenger.
Analyst believe that based on the results of the opinion polls, the country could be headed for its first-ever run-off election on November 22.
“There’s no doubt about who will come in first and second. The real question is whether there will be a second round,” said pollster Ricardo Rouvier.
The election marks the end of 12 years of “Kirchnerismo,” a notion which refers to the presidencies of the incumbent president and her late husband and predecessor, Nestor Kirchner.
They were both credited by supporters with protecting industry, helping the poor and working class and reviving growth. However, the pair faced criticism for their economic performance.
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