MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Buenos Aires Sunday vote signals start of electoral calendar

Macri is leading and is forecasted to win the first round

Today Argentina's capital will be voting for a new mayor (governor) and given the political significance of Buenos Aires City June 3 will be signaling the beginning of five long months of electoral battling culminating October 28 with the election, most probably, of another Kirchner (Mr. or Mrs.)

In Buenos Aires city the dispute in focused on three candidate: Conservative Mauricio Macri from a well established family with interests in several industries and president of Argentina's most popular soccer club, Boca Juniors, which once again could make it to the world's clubs final; Jorge Telerman, the current mayor who is rather independent although his roots belong to the country's main political movement Peronism, and Daniel Filmus, Education Minister and who has the full support of President Nestor Kirchner and all the governments resources. However Macri is leading and is forecasted to win the first round but with not the necessary percentage (50% +1) to avoid a run off. Telerman who is distanced from Kirchner and has the support of independent voters, and Filmus are fighting for the privilege of disputing June 24 the second round. A final victory for the Kirchner candidate could mean a roller coaster for whoever he supports in other provinces. But a defeat in Buenos Aires City, particularly since the president is so involved in the campaign, could reiterate the feeling the president in not so invulnerable. Actually only seven districts including the decisive Buenos Aires province will also be voting for governor on October 28. The other provinces are Jujuy, Salta, La Pampa, Mendoza, Misiones and Santa Cruz. Argentine political analysts believe that regional leaders prefer to separate local from federal elections which should help them reinforce their power and personal standing and limit favors to the central government. Today, besides Buenos Aires City, Neuquen will also be electing governor and a long standing local dynasty, (absent from the Kirchner list of generous federal funds for public works) is forecasted to confirm their grip on oil and gas rich Patagonian province. June 17, Tierra del Fuego; June 24, run off in Buenos Aires City and Tierra del Fuego. August 12, San Juan; August 19, San Luis and La Rioja and August 26, Tucumán. Cordoba and Santa Fe, --among the top four electoral districts in Argentina--, will be going to the polls September 2 and on September 16, Chubut and Chaco. So far this year, governor elections have been held in Rio Negro, Catamarca and Entre Rios, in all three candidates supported by President Kirchner were the winners. According to reports in the Buenos Aires press, Kirchner's ruling coalition candidates are expected to win in Santa Cruz, Mendoza, La Pampa, Jujuy, Formosa, Buenos Aires, Chubut, Cordoba, Tucuman, La Rioja, San Juan and Tierra del Fuego. But in Neuquen, the capital Buenos Aires, San Luis, Santa Fe and Chaco, coalitions contrary to Mr. Kirchner are expected to win. Misiones and Salta are question marks, since it's hard to assess if the winners will be totally loyal to President Kirchner. Furthermore, governors nominally elected by the opposition but that have since become enchanted with President Kirchner's political model --"the K governors"-- announced the formation a new political party in support of Mendoza's governor Julio Cobos whom they would like to see running as vice president to complete the official presidential ticket with Kirchner. Kirchner's faction is identified as "Victory Front", but if the idea of a grouping of several political parties finally can be achieved the name would be "concertación". "The ticket Kirchner/Cobos would not be an isolated event but the confirmation of a confederation of parties and a definitive front for the election" said Sergio Marinelli, cabinet chief from the government of Mendoza.