BUENOS AIRES (Reuters) – Almost 64% of Argentines fear the country’s struggling economy will get worse in the coming months, amid rising inflation and the peso’s weakening purchasing power, according to a poll released on Friday.
The September 2-13 survey by Buenos Aires-based consultancy Management & Fit marks the highest level of economic pessimism in five years.
Those who held a gloomier view of the future of the economy rose by about 59% in the pollster’s July survey.
The growing pessimism also extends to the views of center-left President Alberto Fernandez, whose disapproval rating was 73%.
When asked who they will vote for in next year’s presidential election, 60% of respondents said they would vote for someone from the opposition and only 29% said they plan to vote for a candidate from the ruling Peronist-led coalition of Fernandez to remain.
Latin America’s third-largest economy is in the midst of an ongoing economic and financial crisis, with a rising poverty rate fueled by rising consumer prices, which official estimates will rise by 95% by the end of the year.
Nevertheless, the economy is expected to grow by 4% this year, compared to 10% growth in 2021. According to the draft budget for 2023, economic growth is expected to slow to 2% next year.
The Management & Fit survey showed that inflation, higher taxes and corruption are the country’s main problems.
The survey was conducted nationwide by telephone among 2,200 participants aged 16 to 75 and has an error rate of around 2%.
(Reporting by Eliana Raszewski; Editing by Andrea Ricci)
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