Argentina primary results spell trouble for ruling party

The vote, seen as a preview of November midterm elections, saw support slide for the centre-left government.

A surge in support for Argentina’s main opposition party during a primary election could spell trouble for President Alberto Fernandez and his ruling centre-left coalition. The conservative opposition led by about five percentage points in the key province of Buenos Aires following the compulsory open primary vote on Sunday, often considered a nationwide dress rehearsal ahead of the November 4 midterm elections. About 84 percent of votes in the populous region – once considered a bastion of Fernandez’s party – had been tallied as of early Monday.