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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
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| Argentine ruling party head quits | Argentine ruling party head quits |
| (about 6 hours later) | |
| Former Argentine President Nestor Kirchner has announced he will resign as the head of the country's ruling Peronist party, reports say. | Former Argentine President Nestor Kirchner has announced he will resign as the head of the country's ruling Peronist party, reports say. |
| The move follows a heavy loss for the party in mid-term elections. | The move follows a heavy loss for the party in mid-term elections. |
| Mr Kirchner finished second in a high-profile race during Sunday's vote, defeated by a millionaire from a rival faction within the party. | Mr Kirchner finished second in a high-profile race during Sunday's vote, defeated by a millionaire from a rival faction within the party. |
| His wife, President Cristina Fernandez, whose economic policies were unpopular, also lost her majority in Congress. | His wife, President Cristina Fernandez, whose economic policies were unpopular, also lost her majority in Congress. |
| Mr Kirchner said: "In a democracy, you win and you lose. This was a very close election. We lost by a bit." | |
| Resigning from his position, he said he preferred more political mobility and it was the most dignified thing to do. | |
| His ally Buenos Aires governor Daniel Scioli succeeded him. | |
| Correspondents say Sunday's mid-term polls were seen as a referendum on the presidential couple who have dominated Argentine politics for the past six years. | Correspondents say Sunday's mid-term polls were seen as a referendum on the presidential couple who have dominated Argentine politics for the past six years. |
| Cristina Fernandez, who succeeded her husband as president in late 2007, has seen her popularity fall amid the country's worsening economic problems. | |
| She brought forward the elections, which were originally set for October, arguing that this would then allow the country to unite to face the global economic crisis. | She brought forward the elections, which were originally set for October, arguing that this would then allow the country to unite to face the global economic crisis. |