Analysis-Argentina primary defeat puts Peronists in tough spot on policy

FILE PHOTO: A man casts his vote in a polling station during primary legislative elections, in Buenos Aires, Argentina September 12, 2021. REUTERS/Agustin Marcarian

BUENOS AIRES (Reuters) - Argentina's Peronists are caught between a rock and a hard place after a crushing defeat in midterm congressional primaries on Sunday: shift to the center to win back crossover voters or double down on populist policies to fire up the base.

The Sunday vote https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/argentinas-peronists-under-pressure-after-primary-defeat-2021-09-13, effectively a dry run ahead of the Nov. 14 midterm that could swing the balance of power in Congress, saw the business-friendly opposition gain strongly against the center-left government, whose popularity has been battered by the pandemic.