Mauricio Macri wins Argentina Presidential run-off

Former Mayor of Buenos Aires Mauricio Macri has been confirmed as the winner in Argentina’s presidential election run-off.

With almost all the votes counted, Macri of the centre-right Cambiemos [Let's Change] coalition led the centre-left Peronist candidate Daniel Scioli by 51.5% to 48.5%. The result sees Cristina Fernández de Kirchner’s party booted out after over a decade in office.

Up until a few months, a victory for Macri (pictured left) against Scioli, was deemed improbable with latter handpicked by Kirchner herself. However Macri, who had decades in business and the Presidency of Boca Juniors football club on his resume before entering politics, led a strong campaign focussing on tackling the country’s crime and corruption.

Macri narrowly lost to Scioli, the governor of Buenos Aires province, in the first round of voting in October by 36.7% to 34.5%. However, with the Argentine constitution requiring at least a 40% mandate threshold for an outright victory, a run-off was called with the third candidate – Sergio Massa – dropping out of contention.

Macri headed to Sunday’s election with a comfortable lead in the opinion polls. Many of Massa’s supporters are thought to have switched their vote to Macri. The result is being deemed as a blow to Kirchner, who was barred by the constitution from seeking a third term, but was contemplating another run for office in four years time.