Macri alliance guarantees Peronist electoral victory
Not to be outdone by his predecessor Cristina Fernández (2007-2015),
Argentina’s President Mauricio Macri sprung a major surprise of his own
this week just as the deadline of 12 June for sealing electoral alliances was
approaching. Fernández had revealed last month that she would be seeking
the vice presidency on a joint ticket with her former cabinet chief Alberto
Fernández. Macri, for his part, announced on 11 June that his running mate
would be none other than Miguel Ángel Pichetto, the leader of the moderate
wing of the main opposition Partido Justicialista (PJ, Peronists) in the
federal senate. The markets reacted positively to his choice which leaves
voters in the presidential elections on 27 October to select between two
different systems of government, both with a strong Peronist presence.