Argentina presidential run-off polling starts as voters seek respite from inflation, rising poverty

Voting for the presidential election in Argentina started on Sunday (Nov 19) as voters sought a solution to the triple-digit inflation and rising poverty. This election is a battle between embattled Economy Minister Sergio Massa and the libertarian outsider Javier Milei. The two leaders represent starkly different futures for Argentina. According to a report by the news agency AFP, polls showed Milei holds a slight advantage over Massa.

Irrespective of whoever wins, the election will shape the South American country's political landscape, its economic roadmap, trade in grains, lithium, and hydrocarbons, and its global ties.

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Speaking to the news agency Reuters, Julio Burdman, director of the consultancy Observatorio Electoral said that the election will mark a profound rupture in the system of political representation. "I think all the political forces as we have known them are going to be transformed," Burdman added.

New president will take office on Dec 10

The new president will take office on Dec 10. Massa, 51, is a seasoned politician seeking to convince citizens to trust him despite his performance as economy minister which saw Argentina's annual inflation hit a high of 143 per cent.

Milei, on the other hand, has vowed to halt Argentina's unbridled spending, ditch the peso for the US dollar, and "dynamite" the central bank. An economist by profession, Milei, 53, is a political newcomer who stunned observers by surging to the front of the electoral race just months ago, AFP reported.

His rants against traditional political parties in the country that have failed to halt decades of economic decline have fired up voters tired of the status quo.

Speaking to AFP, taxi driver Daniel Ayala rooted for Milei and said he was "tired of the corruption" of the ruling Peronist coalition -which Massa represents. The political newcomer previously said he was going to ditch those ministries entirely and was in favour of making it easier to carry guns and even sell human organs.

In the run-up to the election, Massa sought to distance himself from outgoing President Alberto Fernandez and his Vice President Cristina Kirchner, who was last year convicted of fraud.

AFP reported that the economy minister has portrayed himself as the calm, statesmanlike opposite of Milei. However, he was accused by analysts of abusing state resources to boost his electoral chances.

This included using ads to warn that transport prices would increase under Milei as well as slashing income taxes for almost the whole population and granting cash payouts to millions.

(With inputs from agencies)