INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
crisis in two decades, which has driven the rise of an outsider far-right libertarian who is in pole position to win.The vote is likely to
country, a major grains exporter with huge reserves of lithium and shale gas.Polling stations open at 8:00 am (1100 GMT) with three
frontrunner candidates likely to split the vote: libertarian economist Javier Milei, centrist Peronist Economy Minister Sergio Massa and
voters flocking to his tear-it-all-down message, fed up with inflation at 138% and poverty affecting over two-fifths of the
win in August open primaries, though Massa and Bullrich were not far behind and it may well prove a close race
Pollsters expect no outright winner.A candidate needs over 45% of the vote or 40% and a 10-point lead to avoid a second round run-off, which
Voting on Sunday will end around 6:00 p.m
(2100 GMT) and the first results are expected at 9:00 p.m
(00:00 GMT).Whoever wins will have to deal with an economy on life support: central bank reserves are empty, recession is around the corner
after a major drought, and a $44 billion program with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) is wobbling.Amid this crisis Milei has risen
abruptly, pledging shock therapy to fix the economy including dollarizing, shutting the central bank, slashing the size of government
said Buenos Aires student Nicolas Mercado, 22.Massa, current economy chief, remains in the running despite overseeing inflation hitting
triple digits for the first time since 1991
unexpected emergence of Milei
Pollsters see her as the most likely of the top three runners to miss out on a second round.Source: Reuters--Agencies
