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Argentine leader eyes poll loss Argentine leader eyes poll loss
(29 minutes later)
Early partial results in Argentina's mid-term legislative elections suggest President Cristina Fernandez's party has lost seats in Congress. First official results in Argentina's mid-term legislative elections suggest President Cristina Fernandez's party has lost control of Congress.
The results suggest the ruling Peronist party could lose its majority in at least one chamber. The results suggest the ruling Peronist party has lost its majority in both the lower house and the Senate.
Cristina Fernandez succeeded husband Nestor Kirchner as president in 2007 - but has seen her popularity fall along with the country's economy. Ms Fernandez' husband Nestor Kirchner conceded a closely-watched battle to win the populous Buenos Aires province.
The polls are seen as a referendum on the presidential couple's popularity. The polls were seen as a referendum on the popularity of the presidential couple, our correspondent says.
Mr Kirchner is standing for a congressional seat in Buenos Aires province. Cristina Fernandez succeeded her husband as president in 2007, but has seen her popularity ratings decline in the face of growing economic problems and rising crime rates.
But with 27% of votes there counted, he was trailing rival Francisco De Narvaez by 31.9% to 35.0%. Power struggle?
The BBC's Candace Piette, who is in Buenos Aires, says the loss of the province, which has always been a Peronist heartland, could signal a huge political defeat for the Kirchners. With most of the votes counted, Nestor Kirchner conceded defeat to a dissident Peronist, wealthy businessman Francisco de Narvaez.
Exit polls suggested the Peronist party could lose its majority in the 256-seat lower house and struggle to retain the 72-seat Senate.
Economic woes More than 28 million people were eligible to vote.
ARGENTINE MID-TERM ELECTIONS Brought forward from 25 October to 28 JuneHalf of the 256 Chamber of Deputies seats at stake: four-year termThird of the 72-seat Senate being chosen: six-year term Poll test for power coupleARGENTINE MID-TERM ELECTIONS Brought forward from 25 October to 28 JuneHalf of the 256 Chamber of Deputies seats at stake: four-year termThird of the 72-seat Senate being chosen: six-year term Poll test for power couple
The elections took place against a backdrop of deep economic problems, and amid complaints of government incompetence, our correspondent says. "We have lost by one-and-a-half or two points and we have no problem recognising it," he said.
Official figures, long contested, put inflation at around 5% while private analysts says the annual inflation rate is at least 15%. The loss of the province, which has always been a Peronist heartland, signals a huge political defeat for the Kirchners, the BBC's Candace Piette in Buenos Aires says.
The likely scenario now is a power struggle within the Peronist party in the run up to the 2011 presidential elections, our correspondent adds.
President Fernandez had brought forward the date of the election, arguing that this would allow Argentines to unite to face the global economic crisis.
But critics say it was a ploy to squeeze in an election victory before the economic recession set in, our correspondent reports. The elections took place against a backdrop of deep economic problems, and amid complaints of government incompetence.
Consumer spending has slumped, and crime and poverty are more visible.Consumer spending has slumped, and crime and poverty are more visible.
Many Argentines have been shifting their savings into dollars and sending it offshore, uncertain of the government's ability to deal with their economic woes, our correspondent says.Many Argentines have been shifting their savings into dollars and sending it offshore, uncertain of the government's ability to deal with their economic woes, our correspondent says.
A damaging row between the Kirchners and the country's powerful agricultural sector over taxation has added to people's concerns, she adds. A damaging row between the Kirchners and the country's powerful agricultural sector over taxation has added to people's concerns.
Mr Kirchner - who was president between 2003 and 2007 - is still widely considered to be the main power-broker behind his wife's administration. Mr Kirchner was president between 2003 and 2007 as Argentines enjoyed an economic rebound and a surge in employment. He is widely considered to be the main power-broker behind his wife's administration.