Argentina exit polls show victory for opposition

Macri appears to have won presidential vote against ruling party candidate Daniel Scioli

Supporters cheer during an election event at the headquarters of Argentinian presidential candidate Mauricio Macri. Photograph: Juan Mabromata/AFP/Getty Images
Supporters cheer during an election event at the headquarters of Argentinian presidential candidate Mauricio Macri. Photograph: Juan Mabromata/AFP/Getty Images

Two exit polls showed opposition challenger Mauricio Macri appeared to have won Argentina's presidential election on Sunday against leftist ruling party candidate Daniel Scioli.

Loud cheers erupted in Macri’s campaign headquarters as party insiders estimated the centre-right mayor of Buenos Aires had won by a margin of 5 to 8 percentage points.

If the result is confirmed, it will be the first time in more than a decade that the opposition has wrested the presidency from the populist Peronists.

Election promises

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Macri (56), had gone into the run-off election with a comfortable lead in opinion polls, promising to bring new investment into the ailing economy, tackle crime and fight corruption.

A source inside Scioli’s campaign bunker told Reuters that their own estimates did not look good for their candidate.

Reuters