Argentines headed to the polls on Sunday in primary elections, with voters likely to punish the ruling center-left Peronist coalition for its handling of the country’s economic crisis.

The primary is obligatory for most adults and each person gets one vote, making it in effect a giant dress rehearsal of the general election in October and giving a clear indication of who is the favorite to take the presidency.

The economic crisis has left many disillusioned with the main political parties, the ruling Peronist coalition and the conservative opposition Together for Change, and opened the door for a potential surprise win by a far-right libertarian candidate.

Others are planning a protest vote for fringe parties or none at all, a trend that could play against the more moderate candidates in the race, including conservative Buenos Aires Mayor Horacio Larreta or Economy Minister Sergio Massa.

The most important leadership race is in the conservative Together for Change coalition, between centrist Larreta and more hard-line rival, ex-security minister Patricia Bullrich. Both are pledging more austerity and freer markets.

A major X factor is libertarian economist Javier Milei, who has been getting nearly one-fifth of the likely vote in opinion polls and winning over voters with a brash, unapologetic style. He wants to dollarize the economy and shut down the central bank.

Pollsters expect a low turnout, despite a fine for not voting.

Whoever wins in October — or more likely in a November runoff — will have major decisions to make on rebuilding depleted foreign reserves, boosting grains exports, reining in inflation, and on how to unwind a thicket of currency controls.

Source: with agencies