President of Argentina Easily Prevails in Primary Election-NYTimes

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August 14, 2011


President of Argentina Easily Prevails in Primary Election

By CHARLES NEWBERY


BUENOS AIRES — President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner far outpolled her rivals on Sunday in Argentina’s first national primary, suggesting that she is likely to win re-election easily in the vote on Oct. 23.

To avoid a runoff, the winning candidate in October must get at least 45 percent of the vote, or at least 40 percent with a lead of 10 points or more over the closest contender. Early results in the primary indicated that Mrs. Kirchner, 58, had handily exceeded those thresholds, winning 49 percent of the vote. Ricardo Alfonsín of the centrist Radical Civic Union Party was second with 13 percent of the votes, while a former president, Eduardo Duhalde of a conservative faction of the Peronist Party, was third, with 12 percent.

Voting was mandatory, and people could cast their ballot for any candidate regardless of party affiliation.

Mrs. Kirchner, who leads a center-left faction of the Peronists, rebuilt her support after a four-month tax revolt in 2008 by farmers, a major force in the country, pushed her popularity rating below 30 percent. Strong economic growth since then has helped to create jobs, raise wages and allow the government to extend welfare programs. The death of her husband, former President Néstor Kirchner, in October 2010 prompted a tide of public sympathy.

“This was a convincing triumph, and the strong economy was a central issue,” said Carlos Germano, a political analyst in Buenos Aires. “People voted for economic stability at a time when many parts of the world are shuddering with problems.”