The polls opened at 8am [horário de Brasília] this Sunday (19) so that Argentines can decide who will be the country’s new president: the government Sergio Massa (Unión por la Patria) or libertarian and outsider Javier Milei (La Libertad Avanza) .
The first round was held on October 22, with Massa leading with 36.69%. Milei won 29.99% of the votes. The dispute is one of the fiercest in recent years in the country, with an uncertain scenario that must be decided vote by vote.
The second round occurs because Massa, first place in the first round, was unable to obtain more than 45% of the votes or more than 40% with a difference of 10% for Milei — as stated in the country’s electoral law.
In the country’s history, only former president Maurício Macri managed, in 2015, to come from second place in the first round and turn the tide in the second round, winning election.
To make the comeback, Milei counts on the support of third place in the first round, Patricia Bullrich (Together for Change) which received 23.84% of the votes.
On the other hand, Massa has been trying to get closer to different sectors of Argentine politics and the economy since the end of the first round.
See also – Analysis: The candidates’ promises for the Argentine economy
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At this moment, Milei leads voting intentions in electoral polls.
On the 10th, Atlasintel pointed out that he had 52.1% against Massa’s 47.9% — with a margin of error of one percentage point.
The survey interviewed 8,971 people over the age of 16 randomly and via digital means between the 5th and 9th of November. The confidence level is 95%.
The survey also questioned Argentines about topics discussed in electoral campaigns. Respondents were overwhelmingly against the relaxation of restrictions on the sale of organs (78%) and on the purchase and possession of weapons (68%) — defended by Milei.
On the other hand, there was agreement with the desire to reduce public accounts (55%) and establish a spending ceiling, even if this impacts social programs (50%), in line with what he proposes.
Furthermore, 54.7% consider vice-president Cristina Kirchner’s conviction for corruption to be fair, 77.2% disapprove of the government of the current president, Alberto Fernández, and 77% poorly assess the country’s economic situation. Both are supporters of Massa, who in turn is Economy Minister.
Abstention and participation so far
In Argentina, voting is mandatory for people over the age of 18 up to the age of 70. But, from the age of 16 and after the age of 70, it is possible to choose whether to vote or not.
In total, the country has 35.4 million eligible voters, of which 76.53% went to the polls on October 22nd, reports the National Electoral Directorate (Dine), equivalent to the Electoral Court in Brazil. In the primaries, it was 67.83%.
(Published by Marina Toledo)
Source: CNN Brasil
Bruce Belcher is a seasoned author with over 5 years of experience in world news. He writes for online news websites and provides in-depth analysis on the world stock market. Bruce is known for his insightful perspectives and commitment to keeping the public informed.
