Argentina's first lady sweeps to presidency

By Hilary Burke

BUENOS AIRES (Reuters) - First lady Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner swept to victory in Argentina's presidential race on her husband's economic successes, but now confronts stern challenges posed by the boom he helped create.

Fernandez will take over from her husband, President Nestor Kirchner, on December 10 after taking more than 40 percent of the vote on Sunday to become Argentina's first elected woman leader.

The vote was largely a referendum on Kirchner's handling of the economy, which has grown at China-style rates topping 8 percent a year since he came to office four years ago.

But Fernandez faces mounting concern about high inflation, energy shortages and a growing perception among some Argentines that the Kirchners have accumulated too much power.

In a conciliatory victory speech on Monday, the 54-year-old lawyer and long-time senator appealed for support across the political spectrum

"We know it's necessary to deepen the changes, and to do that, we need to rally the biggest number of Argentines to help us," she said.

With ballots counted at 96.5 percent of polling stations, Fernandez had 44.91 percent support, followed by another female candidate, former lawmaker Elisa Carrio, who had 22.95 percent.

Fernandez "will face several problems right away that have dragged on and have not found a adequate solution: inflation, an energy crisis ... and the need for more investment," wrote political columnist Eduardo van der Kooy in the Clarin newspaper.