MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Cristina has better image, but husband Nestor, “next presidential candidate”

She’s communicate better and is more intelligent but Nestor represents power and authority

Argentine president Cristina Kirchner has a better image but most interviews believe her husband Nestor Kirchner will finally be the incumbent presidential candidate in 2011, according to a public opinion poll undertaken by Poliarquía for Buenos Aires daily La Nación.

Cristina’s negative image was 38%; positive 36% and 26% fair which compares favourably with Kirchner’s 43% negative; 32% positive and 24% fair. Furthermore when asked to compare both presidential hopefuls (Mrs. Kirchner is entitled to one consecutive re-election), a majority of interviews said the president was “a better communicator” 69%; “better educated and more knowledgeable”, 56%; “more determined and brave”, 55%; more intelligent, 50%; better chemistry with the people, 46%; more charismatic, 46% and even “more intolerant with corruption”, 42%.

However Kirchner leads in two conditions that make to politics; greater political leadership, 57% and greater strategic thinking, 53%.

“Mrs. Kirchner has a better image but the interviews clearly point out that people feel he represents power and authority”, said Alejandro Cattenberg from Poliarquía.

It is well known that both members of the Argentine powerful couple have aspirations to run in 2011 and the government has repeatedly stated that it could be “a he penguin or a she penguin”, as the Kirchners are known since they come from the most southern Patagonian province after Tierra del Fuego.

Poliarquía did a special survey among those who are considered “close to the Kirchner couple and their policies”, and 58% said they prefer Cristina as the incumbent candidate. Only 36% voted for Nestor.

However when the survey covered the whole spectrum the result was contrary with a majority saying the next presidential candidate would be Mr. Kirchner, 54%, and only 32% said Cristina would be running for her re-election.

Comparing virtues and defects of both leaders, the hard core support again surfaced. When asked about Cristina’s main virtue, 16% said none and 12% said “articulate” and a “good speaker”. The same happened with the main defect: 30% said she was “arrogant and presumptuous”. Another 19% preferred not to reply and 10% said no defects.

As to the main virtue of the former president: “improving the economy and pulling the country out of the crisis”, collected 11% while the fact he has “no virtues” attracted 26% of replies. As to the defects, a similar situation occurred: 13% said he was “arrogant”; 15% did not reply and 11%, no defects at all.