A winner has finally emerged in Mexico's closely contested presidential election. But the result - victory by a narrow margin for Felipe Calderón of the governing centre-right National Action party - has left millions of Mexicans with more than a bitter taste. Andrés Manuel López Obrador, the leading leftwing challenger, is alleging foul play and demanding a full recount of the votes. That is exactly what Mexico's electoral authorities should do.

Mr Calderón's supporters may claim this would be giving in to bully boy tactics, arguing that Mr López Obrador regularly uses the street to achieve political goals. They may also claim that some of the leftwing leader's claims reflect a misunderstanding of the vote-counting process. After months of political uncertainty, the business community will be keen to confirm a result that they regard as favourable to their interests.