Rule of law

Latin America: Elections in Argentina and Guatemala

...Unlike Guatemala, the outcome of the elections in Argentina is far less certain, but the country is also going through an important transition from 12 years of “kirchnerismo”—the presidencies of Néstor Kirchner and then his widow, Cristina Fernández de Kirchner. Current frontrunner Daniel Scioli has benefitted from Fernández de Kirchner’s blessing, and some polls suggest that he will win in a first round against second- and third-place candidates, Mauricio Macri and Sergio Massa. If no candidate reaches the constitutionally required 45 percent or 40 percent with a 10-point lead to win the first round, the election will go to a run-off, and the general expectation is that there will be more unity from the opposition. This could spell defeat for Scioli.