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A woman slips her ballot into a ballot box at a polling station in Buenos Aires on October 27, 2019. REUTERS / Ricardo Moraes

This Sunday, October 27 in Argentina is held the presidential election. It challenges left-wing Peronist candidate Alberto Fernandez, who is favored by Liberal President Mauricio Macri. There are also partial legislative elections, with half of the seats of deputies and one third of those of the senators involved. Electoral atmosphere in Buenos Aires.

With our correspondent in Buenos Aires, Jean-Louis Buchet

This election day is a festive day as usual in Argentina. Here, we like to vote, whatever its political orientation and we do not get tired. We do it with joy every two years, if we take into account the medium-term elections, and even more often, if we add the primaries.

It is true that the vote is obligatory, but it is not by constraint that the Argentineans are mobilized at each election. Those who do not do so are only liable to a fine of a ridiculous amount.

This Sunday, rather hot for a spring day, we rush to the polls. At noon, the participation rate was 26%, as in 2015, 5 points higher than the primary of August when 76% of the Argentineans finally voted.

► See also: The elections in Argentina in three questions

We are therefore expecting an increase in participation, of about 81%, as it was four years ago. On the side of the government, we want to believe that it was the voters who missed Macri primaries who mobilize. On the side of the Peronist opposition, it is thought that the momentum remains favorable to Alberto Fernande.

The first results should be known from 1:00 UTC Monday.

► See also: Presidential elections in Argentina: a vote in the midst of the economic crisis

■ "It's the Republic at stake"

The presidential election is a meeting that many Argentines are waiting to see in which direction the country will go. Report at the exit of polling stations in Cordoba.

With our special correspondent in Cordoba, Pauline Gleize

" The future of the country is at stake today. Like Daniel, most voters who leave the school where the polling stations are located are convinced that it is not an election like any other. This is the case of Esther, an elderly person: " It's a model of governance that is played out. For people like me who are in favor of President Macri staying in power, the Republic is at stake. For us, this is a historic day. "

The election also represents a big challenge for Carlos, a representative of Frente de Todos of Alberto Fernandez and Cristina Kirchner, in the polling station. " Neoliberalism has returned to Latin America by pretending to be a lamb. They have returned to the political system by selling a speech of pacification, democracy, constitutionality and in fact they are doing exactly the opposite, "he says.

A voice dissonant nonetheless, that of Claudio, happy to have been able to quickly slip his ballot in the ballot box: " It is an election like all the others. The country is used to crises. Someone arrives, he tries to arrange what he did before who accuses him of being responsible for the problems. And it's always like that. "

In the meantime, the first issue is whether or not a second round is needed.

► See also : The Argentineans of Cordoba want to get out of the economic slump