Argentine far-right outsider Javier Milei posts shock win in primary election

FILE PHOTO: A combination picture shows Argentina's presidential pre-candidates Sergio Massa, Patricia Bullrich, Horacio Rodriguez Larreta, and candidate Javier Milei, in Buenos Aires, Argentina, July 2023. REUTERS/Agustin Marcarian and Matias Baglietto/File Photo

BUENOS AIRES (Reuters) -Argentine voters punished the country's two main political forces in a primary election on Sunday, pushing a rock-singing libertarian outsider candidate into first place in a huge shake-up in the race towards presidential elections in October.

With some 90% of ballots counted, far-right libertarian economist Javier Milei had 30.5% of the vote, far higher than predicted, with the main conservative opposition bloc behind on 28% and the ruling Peronist coalition in third place on 27%.