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Argentina elections: Voters pick new president Argentina elections: Voters pick new president
(about 7 hours later)
Argentines are going to the polls to choose their next president in a general election that ends 12 years of rule under the Kirchners. Argentines have been voting to choose a new president to replace Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner, who is constitutionally barred from seeking a third term.
President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner has served two consecutive terms and, under Argentina's constitution, cannot run again. Ms Fernandez, who stands down after eight years in power, says she leaves Argentines a better country.
Her hand-picked successor, left-winger Daniel Scioli, is leading polls. Her hand-picked successor, left-winger Daniel Scioli, led opinion polls.
But he is expected to face stiff competition from Mauricio Macri, the centre-right mayor of Buenos Aires. He is facing a strong challenge from the centre-right mayor of Buenos Aires, Mauricio Macri.
Another candidate, Sergio Massa, a former Kirchner ally, is polling behind Mr Macri, while there are three other names on the ballot paper. Another candidate, Sergio Massa, a former ally of Ms Fernandez, is polling behind Mr Macri. There are three other names on the ballot paper.
Long queues formed outside polling stations from the early hours of Sunday.
"We are voting today in a completely normal country," said Ms Fernandez said after casting her vote in the Patagonian town of Rio Gallegos.
In previous decades, Argentines always went to the polls "in the middle of a serious crisis," she added.
Ms Fernandez said achieving stability and leaving Argentines "a normal country" was the promise made by her late husband, Neston Kirchner, when he took office in 2003.
He died in 2010, three years after handing over the presidency to his wife.
Matching Ms Fernandez's charisma will be difficult, says the BBC's Wyre Davies in Buenos Aires, but she has also arguably deeply divided Argentines.
Argentina elections: All to play forArgentina elections: All to play for
Sunday sees the first round of voting. To win outright a candidate needs 45% of the vote or a minimum of 40% as well as a 10-point lead over the nearest rival.Sunday sees the first round of voting. To win outright a candidate needs 45% of the vote or a minimum of 40% as well as a 10-point lead over the nearest rival.
Otherwise, there will be a run-off on 22 November.Otherwise, there will be a run-off on 22 November.
Hedge funds battle
Whoever wins the presidency faces significant economic challenges.Whoever wins the presidency faces significant economic challenges.
While the country gained strength after a financial crisis in 2002, its economy, the third largest in Latin America, has slowed down in recent years, with GDP growing by only 0.5% last year. While the country gained strength after a financial crisis in 2002, its economy, the third-largest in Latin America, has slowed in recent years, with GDP growing by only 0.5% last year.
The government is also locked in a battle against American hedge funds who disagree with how is wants to restructure $100bn (£65bn) of debt on which it defaulted in 2001. The government is also locked in a battle against American hedge funds who disagree with how it wants to restructure $100bn (£65bn) of debt on which it defaulted in 2001.
While the firms successfully sued Argentina for repayment, Mrs Kirchner refused to pay. While the firms successfully sued Argentina for repayment, Ms Fernandez refused to pay.
Mrs Kirchner succeeded her husband Nestor as president. He died in 2010, three years after handing over the presidency to his wife. Mr Scioli, the governor of Buenos Aires province, is a former world powerboating champion who lost his right arm in a race in 1989.
Mr Scioli, the governor of Buenos Aires province, is a former world powerboating champion who lost his right arm in a boat race in 1989. Last week, he pledged tax cuts for workers earning under a certain income, a move expected to affect half a million people.
Last week, he pledged tax cuts for middle-class workers earning under a certain income, a move expected to affect half a million people.
He has also vowed to bring down Argentina's inflation to single digits in less than four years and promises to introduce policy changes to invigorate the economy.He has also vowed to bring down Argentina's inflation to single digits in less than four years and promises to introduce policy changes to invigorate the economy.
Like Mr Scioli, Mr Macri is married to a former model. He is a former president of Boca Juniors, Argentina's most successful football club. While Mrs Kirchner has sought to press Argentina's claims for the UK territory of the Falkland Islands, Mr Scioli says he would not appoint a Falklands minister, and would seek closer ties with London.
The BBC's Wyre Davies, in Buenos Aires, says Mr Macri's centre right coalition Cambiemos - We Can Change - is seen as more market-friendly than Mr Scioli. "The world is going to watch the new president's first 24 hours very carefully," political analyst Pablo Knopoff told AFP news agency
While Mrs Kirchner has sought to press Argentina's claims for the disputed UK territory of the Falkland Islands, Mr Scioli says he would not appoint a Falklands minister, and would seek closer ties with London.
"The world is going to watch the new president's first 24 hours very carefully," political analyst Pablo Knopoff told Agence France Presse.
"He'll have to deliver a message to convince people that Argentina is a country where they can invest, with clear rules.""He'll have to deliver a message to convince people that Argentina is a country where they can invest, with clear rules."
Thirty-two million Argentines are eligible to vote.
They are also electing members of Congress, governors and other local representatives.