With some 90% of ballots counted, far-right libertarian economist Javier Milei had 30.5% of the vote, far higher than predicted, with the main conservative opposition bloc behind on 28% and the ruling Peronist coalition in third place on 27%. The result is a stinging rebuke to the center-left Peronist coalition and the main Together for Change conservative opposition bloc with inflation at 116% and a cost-of-living crisis leaving four in 10 people in poverty. “We are the true opposition,” Milei said in a bullish speech after the results. This speaks of people’s anger with politics,” said former conservative President Mauricio Macri as he arrived at Together for Change’s election bunker. Turnout was under 70%, the lowest for a primary election since they started to be held in Argentina over a decade ago.

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Persons: Reuters —, Javier Milei, ” Milei, ”, Adriana Alonso, Mauricio Macri, Patricia Bullrich, Horacio Larreta, Horacio Rodriguez Larreta, JUAN MABROMATA, Sergio Massa, Donald Trump, Jorge Boloco, Maria Fernanda Medina Organizations: Reuters, Peronist, International Monetary Fund, Conservative, Change, Buenos Aires, Argentine, el Cambio, Getty Images Locations: Argentina, Buenos Aires, Buenos, AFP, Tigre