Argentines Go to the Polls

Scioli, who is governor of Buenos Aires province, draws much of his support from poorer Argentines who credit Fernandez with strengthening Argentina’s social safety net.

Scioli garnered 36.85 percent of the vote in Sunday’s election, while Macri received 34.34 percent, with 97.06 percent of the ballots counted.

It was Argentina’s first presidential election in 12 years not to feature a Kirchner – either President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner or her late husband, Nestor Kirchner.

“My concern is that it’s too tight an election to be called on Sunday night”, Alan Clutterbuck, president of the Fundacion RAP, a group that pushes for dialogue within Argentine politics.

Scioli will seek to exploit a perception among many voters that Macri, the son of a construction magnate, would restore the kind of right-wing policies widely blamed for triggering a deep economic crisis in 2001-2002, when millions fell into poverty.

Scioli, the mayor of Buenos Aires, is a former football executive.

Polls show Daniel Scioli of the leftist Front for Victory ruling party with a clear lead over his rivals, although he can not be sure of an outright win and may be forced into a runoff vote next month.

Elections were being held in nine countries around the world on Sunday.

To win the election in the first round, a candidate needed 45 percent of the vote, or 40 percent of the vote and a lead of 10 percentage points over his closest rival.

Macri is the candidate of the right-wing opposition in Argentina, and governor of the province of Buenos Aires.

Fernandez will step down with approval ratings near 50 percent, yet her eight years in power have polarized the nation. “There’s an enormous desire in society for less polarization”, said Mariel Fornoni, of the polling company Management and Fit. “There will be a run-off according to our data, based on exit polls”, said Marcos Pena, the chief campaign strategist for Macri. While it wasn’t enough to get him through to the run-off, it puts him in an influential position over the next four weeks because both Scioli and Macri need to court his supporters.

“I invite undecided and independent (voters) to join me in this great celebration of Argentine development”, Scioli told a gathering of supporters.

“We will correct the abuses and the fraud of inflation”, Macri said, reiterating one of his common themes. He even inaugurated a statue of Juan Peron, a three-time former president who founded the ideological movement to which Fernandez adheres.

However, the 58-year-old powerboating fanatic – who lost his right arm in a 1989 racing accident – has also promised a change in style to attract more investment and revive the flagging economy, Latin America’s third-largest after Brazil and Mexico. They also vowed to tackle rising crime.

“I’m a Peronist”, said Pablo Sanchez, a 28-year-old pizza delivery man who voted for Massa.

Sergio Massa, a former ally of Kirchner and now an opposition member, received 21.3 percent.

Scioli also invited Macri to a debate, an about-face after refusing to debate the other five candidates a few weeks ago.

With a headline addressed to Argentine pollsters, Trump is seen doing his signature “You are fired!”