Yahoo Lifestyle 
Argentina’s Milei Keeps Edge Over Massa With One Week to Go Before Presidential Runoff
(Bloomberg) -- Javier Milei, the libertarian outsider promising to scrap Argentina’s currency and central bank, continues to hold a slight polling edge over his Peronist rival with just over a week to go before the Nov. 19 presidential runoff.
Most Read from Bloomberg
Iceland Girds for Volcanic Eruption That Could Wipe Out Town
China Weighs Ending Freeze on Boeing With 737 Max Deal in US
Xi Jinping’s ‘Old Friends’ From Iowa Get a Dinner Invitation
An Opioid-Like Drink Is Masquerading As a Wholesome Alcohol Alternative
Brazil-based AtlasIntel puts Milei’s support at 49% compared to 45% for Economy Minister Sergio Massa, according to a poll released Friday. Discounting blank votes, annulled votes and undecideds — which is the way the winner will ultimately be decided — the libertarian’s lead is 52% to 48%. The survey has a margin of error of plus or minus 2 percentage points.
The results are essentially unchanged from another poll by the same firm a week ago. Atlas was one of the few pollsters that accurately predicted Massa would vault ahead of Milei in the Oct. 22 first-round vote.
Massa is pledging a more centrist version of Peronism — the nationalist, state-centric movement that’s dominated Argentine politics for decades. He’s also overseeing an economy lurching into its sixth recession in a decade, with annual inflation running above 138%.
Milei, meanwhile, promises to slash state spending, swap the peso for the US dollar and shut down Argentina’s central bank to thwart inflation.
The two candidates will square off Sunday in a televised debate. The Atlas poll shows they’re both struggling to win voter approval. Some 49% of respondents see Milei in a negative light, compared to 57% for Massa.
Read more: Why Argentina’s Pro-Dollar Candidate Roils Markets: QuickTake
Over the past week, Massa visited the provinces of Cordoba and Santa Fe — the largest electoral districts outside of Buenos Aires — and announced a new tax rebate. Milei campaigned in wine-producing Mendoza province and the suburbs of the capital.
The latest Atlas poll was conducted online with 8,971 participants, between Nov. 5 and Nov. 9.
Whoever wins the most votes in the runoff will become Argentina’s next president, with a new government taking office on Dec. 10.
Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek
Everything Biden and Xi Need From Their Summit—Starting With Each Other
A German Startup Races Google to Develop a Universal Translator
US Veterans Got a Mortgage Break. Now They’re Losing Their Homes
©2023 Bloomberg L.P.
