Argentina's first lady poised to take over from husband
By JERUSALEM POST STAFF
President Nestor Kirchner and first lady Cristina Fernandez are poised to switch jobs in December, with partial results indicating Argentines elected a female president for the first time and launched their country's most powerful political dynasty since Juan and Evita Peron.
Fernandez is a lawyer and senator who followed her husband as he rose from an obscure governorship to the presidency, drawing comparisons to US Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton. She would bring a feistier and more glamorous style to the Pink House, Argentina's presidential palace, in which she has already spent the last four years.
With just over two-thirds of the polling places reporting, Fernandez had about 43 percent of the vote, compared with 23% for former lawmaker Elisa Carrio and 18% for former Economy Minister Roberto Lavagna. Eleven others split the rest.
According to Argentina electoral rules, Fernandez avoids a runoff with at least 40% and a margin of 10% over the runner-up.