ARGENTINA: PRESIDENT NESTOR KIRCHNER AND OPPOSITION FIGURES LAY GROUNDWORK FOR 2007 PRESIDENTIAL RACE.

Argentine politicians are building alliances and preparing campaigns for the presidential election to be held in October 2007. President Nestor Kirchner, who enjoys strong popularity numbers and continues to consolidate his executive power, is likely to mount a drive for re-election, although there has been speculation that his wife, Sen. Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner, could try for the position. Other opposition figures are attempting to build their own bases for a campaign, among them Rep. Mauricio Macri of the Propuesta Republicana (PRO), ex-President Carlos Menem (1989-1999), and Rep. Elisa Carrio of the Alternativa por una Republica Igualitaria (ARI). Former Economy Minister Roberto Lavagna has become an increasingly vocal critic of the Kirchner administration since the president removed him last year and different political movements have sought to attract him into their parties.

Macri emerged as the top opposition figure in the Congress after elections in October 2005 (see NotiSur, 2005-11-04), a vote which brought many of Kirchner's allies greater power in the legislature. As leader of the PRO, Macri has been working with top figures to build a power base. The president of the popular soccer club Boca Juniors and deputy in the House of Representatives launched his "Vision PRO 2007" in July, although he did not make his candidacy official. "The final decision has to come from an agreement within the PRO over who should be the candidate. I am ready to be that if the [the party] decides that is the best road to defend its ideas," said Macri. He presented the campaign platform alongside ex-Economy Minister Ricardo Lopez Murphy, a political ally.

Macri is also toying with the idea of running for mayor of Buenos Aires. Some analysts maintain that Macri will have scant chance of success at the national level against Kirchner. Kirchner maintains very high approval ratings, due in part to the steady economic recovery the country has undergone since the national financial collapse of 2001. Some surveys put the popularity number as high as 80% and he has gained solid control over his wing of the Partido Justicialista-peronista (PJ).

Still, Kirchner faced large protests when cattle producers traveled to the capital in July to strike over export restrictions on meat products. And concerns about violent crime have perennially stirred popular protest.

In the capital city Macri enjoys a strong image, as he demonstrated during the mid-term...

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