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Argentina goes to the polls in tense election

Argentina goes to the polls in tense election
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Argentina's polling stations opened on Sunday in a presidential election that puts the economy centre stage.

Inflation is running rampant and over a third of the population are classed as living in poverty.

The candidate who hopes to replace President Mauricio Macri is Alberto Fernandez, who won convincingly in the first round.

The populist Peronist's running mate is former leader Christina Fernandez de Kirchner, who had been widely tipped to be the centre-left's opposition coalition candidate. The pair are not related.

Fernandez has vowed to reverse President Macri's liberal policies that have been blamed for a sinking economy that has wiped out much of his support.

The former banker from a wealthy family attempted to push through reforms but it came at the price of heavy borrowing.

That has led to nervousness on the financial markets and on the streets of the capital Buenos Aires.

As inflation continues unabated many people have been queuing to buy dollars as the country's peso crumbles

Nearly 100,000 military and security forces are guarding the 100,185 voting tables distributed in 14,546 schools throughout the country, which will be open until 18:00 local time (22:00 CET).