MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

“Protest vote” set to reap 27%

According to an Argentine public opinion polling company, in the coming presidential elections a quarter of Argentine voters will reject all candidates to express their anger with a “protest vote”, either by voting blank or destroying the ballot.

If the forecast by Consultants Cattenberg & Associates is correct, almost 5,5 million Argentines will be casting a "protest vote", five times the number of the last presidential election of 1999 when one million did so.

As to confirm these findings the latest poll indicates that all major presidential candidates in Argentina are loosing ground, and not one of them manages more than 15,1% support.

Mr. Adolfo Rodríguez Sáa and Elisa Carrió continue to lead but are loosing support. Similarly former president Carlos Menem and Cordoba governor Juan Manuel de la Sota (closely linked to president Duhalde) have dropped to fourth and seventh place.

Those who have climbed are Santa Cruz governor Nestor Kirchner and former defence minister and economist Ricardo López Murphy.

If the presidential election took place this week, in the run offs, Mr. Rodríguez Sáa would be defeated both by Elisa Carrió and Mr. Kirchner, according to Cattenberg & Associates.

The "Protest vote", therefore comfortably leads reflecting the Argentine electorate disgust with its political establishment.