Argentina Faces Choice Between Hard Reforms and Populism

The opponent he’s likely to face in a second-round runoff doesn’t carry much political baggage. Alberto Fernández presents himself as a moderate of the center-left, a man who pledges to win a better deal from the IMF without destroying the country’s hard-won financial credibility. But his running mate is another matter. Fernandez’s choice for Vice President is former President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner (no relation), the biggest lightning rod in the country and now Macri’s best chance to beat Fernandez.

Macri can claim former President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner is to blame for the depth of the hole Argentina is still digging out of.

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