Conservative Mauricio Macri wins Argentina's Presidential Election
- Skid
- Nov 23, 2015
- 1 min read
Conservative opposition candidate Mauricio Macri has won Argentina's presidential election after promising business-friendly reforms to spur investment in the struggling economy.Key points:Mauricio Macri wins more than 52 per cent of the vote, election body saysConservative president-elect vows economic reformsRuling party candidate Daniel Scioli couldn't distance himself from Cristina Fernandez, analyst says.
Mr Macri's supporters swarmed to the Obelisk in the heart of Buenos Aires' theatre district for a giant street party as subdued ruling party candidate Daniel Scioli conceded defeat.
Argentina's election body said Mr Macri had 52.1 per cent of votes and Mr Scioli had 47.9 per cent with returns in from 91.5 per cent of polling stations.
"The is the beginning of a new era that has to carry us toward the opportunities we need to grow and progress," Mr Macri told supporters at his headquarters.
In a sign of Argentines' weariness with a spluttering economy, rising crime and corruption,Mr Macri had gone into the run-off election with a comfortable lead in opinion polls over Mr Scioli, the candidate of outgoing president Cristina Fernandez.
During the campaign, Mr Scioli warned that Mr Macri's orthodox policies were similar to those that preceded Argentina's 2001-02 economic crisis, which threw millions of people into poverty.But with economic growth slowing sharply and inflation running at more than 20 per cent, voters were keen for change.
Mr Macri has promised to set Latin America's third biggest economy on a more free-market course after a combined 12 years of leftist populism under Ms Fernandez and her late husband and predecessor Nestor Kirchner.
PHOTO: Supporters of president-elect Mauricio Macri celebrate his win at Buenos Aires' landmark Obelisk. (AFP)
