Macri Wins Argentina Presidential Election

Conservative Mauricio Macri has won Sunday’s presidential election in Argentina.

Macri held over 51 percent of the vote with 98 percent of the vote counted. His victory ends the 12-year rule of the Peronist Party. That party was founded by Juan Peron in 1947. Also known as the Justicialist Party, the Peronist Party received support from urban voters and the middle classs of the country.

Macri called Sunday “a historic day” and said the election was “the changing of an era.”

Macri lost in the first round of voting to former vice president Daniel Scioli. Scioli failed to win enough of the first-round vote. Sunday’s run-off election decision was won by Macri.

Early Monday, press reports suggested that Scioli will demand another count of the ballots.

The 56-year-old Macri has been mayor of Buenos Aires for eight years. He is the former boss of the popular football, or soccer, club Boca Juniors. He also comes from a well-known Argentine business family.

Reforming the economy will be Macri’s main issue as he enters the presidency. The president-elect said he plans to reduce subsidies and move some state companies to the private sector. He said he takes a very positive view of international business.

The Argentine election comes at a time when the country’s economy has stalled. Economic inflation has reached nearly 30 percent and economic growth is just above zero.

Macri’s inauguration is scheduled for December 10.

I'm Mario Ritter.

Jim Dresbach adapted this story for Learning English. Kathleen Struck was the editor.

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