The presidential campaign is in full swing. The president’s wife, a senator in her own right, seeks to establish her credentials as a savvy, smart leader who will move the economy forward, help bring people out of poverty and stand up to the policies of George W. Bush. Hillary Clinton? No. It is Argentina’s first lady, Cristina Fernández, favoured to win the October presidential election to succeed her husband, Néstor Kirchner.

The Argentine elections have sparked many comparisons between the two candidates. But on their positions and those of their husbands, there are few similarities.