Far right loses ground in Argentina and electoral dispute tends to be between two camps – 7/5/2023

1970-01-01 02:00:00

By Nicholas Misculin

BUENOS AIRES (Reuters) – Argentina’s race is narrowing into a two-way race ahead of Aug. 13 primary elections, with the ruling Peronist coalition’s choice of a centrist candidate neutralizing some of the threat from the extreme libertarian right Javier Milei.

Polls show the two main candidates from the conservative opposition bloc, former Security Minister Patricia Bullrich and Buenos Aires Mayor Horacio Larreta, just ahead of the ruling coalition candidate, Economy Minister Sergio Massa.

That has dented Milei, a far-right economist who has vowed to dollarize the economy and close the central bank, seeking to exploit voter anger at inflation above 100%, foreign currency reserves drying up and 40% poverty.

“We are seeing a steady, albeit gradual, trend of becoming a polarized race between the two main coalitions,” said Marina Acosta of research firm Analogias.

The June 28-30 poll of 2,569 respondents showed that 32.7% of voters support Bullrich-Larreta together, 28.3% support Massa and 4% the Peronist candidate Juan Grabois. Milei’s party has 17.8%, and 12.7% are still undecided.

“The share of undecided voters has shrunk and the space occupied by the ultra-right has shrunk,” said Acosta.

Argentina’s markets and investors welcomed the candidacy of Massa, a moderate pragmatist within the Peronist bloc, which alienated the coalition’s most leftist faction.

But Massa faces an uphill battle against the conservatives in October’s election, which will go to a second round if no candidate wins more than 50%. The opposition bloc will choose between Bullrich and Larreta in the August primaries.