The future might not be so rosy

As Argentine President Nestor Kirchner marked his first year in office on Tuesday, leading newspapers found both cause to celebrate and fear for the future.

A combination of healthy economic growth fuelled by low international interest rates and a demand for Argentine exports generated huge public optimism, giving hope to a nation beset by years of economic and political crises.

However, despite the impressive performance, newspapers expressed fears that the good times might not last, and called for some major adjustments if the country is to avoid a return to instability.

The top circulation Clarin states that "Kirchner is highly acclaimed". "Eight in every 10 Argentines view him in a positive light."

In contrast, says the daily, "his government is less popular". "But what worries the people most are unemployment and insecurity."

An occasion on which to hope for great developments The Buenos Aires Herald

It adds that Carlos Menem, the former president now living in Chile and wanted at home on tax fraud charges, "is considered Kirchner's principle rival".

Uncertainty

The Buenos Aires Herald carries the headline: "Kirchner: a year of change".

"Kirchner won the presidency with the weakest popular mandate in Argentina history and is now the most popular politician in the country."

A Herald editorial proclaims today as "an occasion on which to hope for great developments. The aim for the year should be some degree of normality and predictability".

"What is serious at present is the atmosphere of uncertainty in almost every area of government.

"Some of the problems facing the executive are attributed to Argentina's recent past and to prior mismanagement, but the time for blaming others for present shortcomings is running out."

An excessively personalist style La Nacion

The Herald describes Mr Kirchner as "the man for whom the presidency was more a gift than a personal gain."

La Nacion praises the president for keeping on in his post Economy Minister Roberto Lavagna and refusing to intervene in the Central Bank.

"These can be seen as highly positive measures for generating both internal and external confidence."

But it warns that "the economic challenges in the period ahead are daunting" and are not helped by the energy crisis currently afflicting the country.

Noting the likelihood of a rise in world interest rates, and a possible decline in foreign investment it sees as vital for Argentina's stability, La Nacion believes that Argentina "needs to shield itself to avoid undesirable consequences".

It also accuses Mr Kirchner of picking unnecessary fights with businessmen, blaming them when things go wrong, and "adopting an excessively personalist style".

Instead of divisions, "Argentina needs major political and social consensus which translate into enduring state policies".

La Nacion's Washington correspondent writes that "the United States has found Kirchner better than expected although there are still doubts about the future".

A large front page headline in La Razon states: "Work and security: The key aims for Kirchner."

Poverty

The popular leftist Pagina 12 carries interviews with a number of political and cultural figures expressing doubts about the future.

"I wish Kirchner would return to what he was like during the first few months," says one opposition politician, arguing that he was encouraged when the president started off strongly, but became disenchanted when his strategy started to unravel.

"I don't say the energy crisis could have been avoided, but at least we could have softened its terrible effects on the poor. The fight against poverty is no fairy tale."

No government is entitled to call itself popular if it fails to tackle poverty Interviewee in Pagina 12

Another interviewee agrees that poverty is a major problem in Argentina and requires priority treatment.

"This government considers itself a popular government. But half the population continues below the poverty line, and half of these are destitute. No government is entitled to call itself popular if it fails to tackle poverty, misery, hunger and unemployment."

Several leftist parties lament that "there is little to celebrate". And playwright Tito Cossa speaks of " a problem of distrust".

"There is a need to break down the distrust between politicians and artists." Mr Cossa complains that the government has initiated "zero" in the cultural sphere.

BBC Monitoring, based in Caversham in southern England, selects and translates information from radio, television, press, news agencies and the Internet from 150 countries in more than 70 languages.