MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

“Protest” vote growing

With just six months to the presidential election, the Argentine electorate is sending ever more clear signals of its rejection of the political system.

According to the latest opinion poll published this Monday in Buenos Aires, the so called "protest" vote keeps growing; support for the leading pre-candidate is dwindling and the electorate is strongly behind a man who will not be running for the presidential office, Carlos Reutemann, governor of Santa Fé and former F 1 pilot. "No candidate musters the necessary consensus to lead a government with chances of beginning to solve the institutional and economic challenges faced by Argentina", reads the report of Cattenberg & Associates, who polled 602 people by phone in the country's main metropolitan areas.

The only increase was recorded by the "protest" vote that now stands at 27,5%, that is over a quarter of the Argentine electorate, five times over the previous presidential election in 1999.

Leading Peronist pre candidate Adolfo Rodríguez Sáa for the first time since he began campaigning, has seen his support fall. Last August Mr. Rodríguez Sáa had a positive image of 35% and 32% negative leaving a 3% positive. However in September his positive image dropped to 23%, his negative image rocketed to 41% and now stands a negative 18%.

The only Peronist candidate with a positive image is Santa Cruz governor Néstor Kirchner with 5%. Former president Carlos Menem has a 68% rejection and is only beaten by President Eduardo Duhalde who figures with a 72% negative image.

The only name that attracts consensus from all parties is Carlos Reutemann, who for the umpteenth time has said he's not running next March.

The "protest" vote in Argentina's last October legislative elections reached an all time record of 41% and was followed by the December riots that forced the resignation of former president Fernando De la Rúa.