Argentina: Fernandez wins Presidency

The 47 percent obtained by the Fernandez-Fernandez ticket has been enough to give them the win.

With almost 90 percent of votes counted, Argentinian opposition progressive ticket Alberto Fernandez and Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner have won over right-wing incumbent President Mauricio Macri with 47,75 over 40,76 percent respectively in Sunday’s general elections.

As the candidates needed 45 percent of the vote or 40 percent with a 10-point lead over the runner-up to avoid a second round, the 47 percent obtained by the Fernandez-Fernandez ticket has been enough to give them the win.

The ballot was effectively a referendum between Macri’s austerity and the “social contract” of the left-leaning opposition, who have attracted voters who have been hurt badly by the Macri’s neoliberal model that led to the most severe economic crisis in decades.

The conservative incumbent won backers with plans to reform Argentina’s notoriously closed economy with trade deals and a successful push to lure foreign investment into energy projects and infrastructure.

This article originally appeared on teleSUR English.