Reuters
BUENOS AIRES, Nov 8 (Reuters) - Opposition challenger
Mauricio Macri has opened up an eight point lead in Argentina's
presidential election race over the leftist ruling party
candidate, a poll showed on Sunday, two weeks ahead of the Nov.
22 run-off.
The survey by Management Fit showed the center-right Macri
would win 51.8 percent of voter backing -- including a projected
share of undecided votes -- while his rival Daniel Scioli would
secure 43.6 percent.
The numbers indicate Macri and his "Let's Change" alliance
have kept the momentum after a surprisingly strong performance
in the first round that stunned the ruling Front for Victory
party and left Scioli scrambling to regain the initiative.
However, more than one in 10 of Argentina's 32 million
voters are still undecided on who to back, leaving the
presidential race open. Macri's lead narrows to six points with
46.3 percent of support when undecided votes are excluded from
the candidates' count.
The outcome of the election will shape how the South
American country tackles its economic woes, including high
inflation, an over-valued peso currency and a central bank
running precariously low on dollars.
The winner will also inherit a festering sovereign debt
default.
Macri promises to start dismantling a raft of protectionist
currency and trade controls on his first day in office if he
wins, to open up Latin America's third biggest economy. Scioli
says more gradual reforms are required to lure new investment
and that his rival's pro-market proposals will hurt the poor.
Management Fit polled 2,400 people nationwide between Nov.
1 and 5. The survey has a 2 percent margin of error.
Outgoing President Cristina Fernandez's eight-year rule has
been deeply divisive. The fiery nationalist is adored by the
poor and working class for expanding social welfare programs but
reviled by others for suffocating the economy.
(Reporting by Richard Lough; Editing by Catherine Evans)
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