De la Rua, 62, capitalized on the anti-Menem sentiment, contrasting his austere and dignified style with that of the President whose antics and penchant for fast cars and celebrities have amused, but at times also annoyed Argentines. He has made it clear he will maintain free-market policies and fiscal austerity, and that he has no intention of changing the Peso-Dollar parity Menem introduced in 1991 to stabilize the economy. But he promised to help those who were left by the wayside by the radical economic transformation of the country Menem launched 10 years ago.

``We will grow in a climate ofequity, with equality for all,'' said de la Rua, who ran for the Opposition Alliance that bands together his Social-Democratic party and leftists of all hues. He called on all Argentines to ``work to create more dignified conditions for all our people, so there will be work, health care and education for all.'' De la Rua, who is currently Mayor of Buenos Aires, also said his administration would ``put an end to all forms of corruption.'' Menem's administration has been credited with modernizing Argentina and getting rid of hyperinflation. But its image has been tarnished by a slew of corruption scandals.

With 43 percent of the ballots counted, partial results gave over 50 percent to de la Rua and 35 percent to his closest rival, Eduardo Duhalde, 58, of the ruling Justicialist Party (JP). With Interior Minister Carlos Corach's recognition of de la Rua's victory late Sunday, the JP suffered its worst defeat in the history of Peronism -- a movement inspired by the populist policies of Juan Domingo Peron, whoruled with his celebrated wife Evita in the 1940s and 1950s.