Argentina’s opposition candidate Macri wins presidential run-off vote, as Scioli concedes defeat

Conservative opposition candidate Mauricio Macri is winning the presidential run-off election with over 53 percent of the vote, while Daniel Scioli, the candidate backed by outgoing president Cristina Fernandez, is behind with 46 percent.

Scioli conceded defeat as he called Macri to offer his congratulations on the victory. “The Argentine people ... have elected a new president, Mauricio Macri, who I have just congratulated by telephone,” Scioli said to his supporters.

The updated results were released by the National Electoral Chamber of Argentina. Exit polls conducted by local TV stations also suggested that Macri will win the election.

READ MORE: Argentina’s opposition candidate Macri leads presidential run-off vote  

With 66 percent of polling station returns counted, Macri had 53.46 percent of votes, with Scioli at 46.54 percent, according to Argentina’s official election body.

A source from the electoral body said that current presidential election results forecasting a Macri victory are irreversible, Reuters reported.

The polls closed at 6 pm local time in Argentina. Official results are expected later on Sunday.

Macri’s campaign headquarters are projecting him to win by a margin of 5 to 8 percentage points.

“This feels like a dream,” doctor Angela Torres told Reuters from Macri headquarters. “A new Argentina is on its way that will be better in every sense.”

Meanwhile, Scioli’s campaign team is waiting for more definitive official results and said that it will be issuing a statement later.

“If the results stay like this it’s a real setback for the country,” Scioli supporter, Maria Rosa Soria, told Reuters.