The final televised debate between Argentina’s two presidential candidates took place on Sunday ahead of the Nov. 19 runoff, with no clear winner in sight. This election cycle is considered one of the most consequential in a generation.
Argentines will choose between two markedly different economic visions for South America’s second largest economy in a week’s time.
Ruling party economy chief Sergio Massa advocates for defending the peso currency, while his rival, anti-establishment outsider Javier Milei, plans to dollarize the economy amidst a looming recession and inflation over 100%.
Latest polls predict the second-round vote going either way, with Milei having a slight lead. Sunday’s debate was seen as one of the final opportunities to sway undecided voters. Nearly 10 million voters opted for other candidates, spoiled their ballots, or voted blank in the Oct. 22 first round.
Massa, a pragmatist who has promised a unity government, took the offensive by posing direct questions to Milei regarding his criticism of the Pope, plans to cut subsidies, and privatize state-owned companies.
“Yes or no: are you going to dollarize the economy? Are you going to cut subsidies?” Massa inquired.
Milei, an economist and former TV pundit, did not provide a direct response but reaffirmed his commitment to close the central bank due to its contribution to inflation.
Andrei Roman from pollster Atlas Intel stated that Massa was more aggressive than Milei during the debate.
“Massa won the debate and Milei lost it..However, that doesn’t mean he lost voters,” said Roman.
According to political analyst Federico González, Massa and Milei have been “head-to-head in the polls” for the past 10 days, and the debate would favor the candidate who made the “least mistakes,” as he told local radio.
The winner of the election will assume office on Dec. 10.
(Reporting by Hernan Nessi & Lucinda Elliott; Editing by Michael Perry)
