FORMER Argentinian president Cristina Fernandez launched a new electoral coalition at a huge rally in Buenos Aires on Tuesday.

The leftwinger, whose late husband Nestor Kerchner was president before her, vowed that the new Citizens’ Unity front would put a “brake on neoliberalism.”

Speaking to a packed Arsenal de Llavallol football stadium, Ms Fernandez pledged to fight the unpopular austerity programme of President Mauricio Macri, elected in October 2015.

Mr Macri’s cuts regime has led to hundreds of thousands of public and private-sector redundancies and massive rises in utility bills, sparking mass strikes and protests.

“We need to put a limit on this government to stop the [economic] adjustment,” Ms Fernandez said.

“I call for a citizens’ unity, the unity of all Argentinians.”

An estimated 30,000 supporters chanted the well-worn slogan “volveremos” — we will return.

Citizens’ Unity is made up of five parties — New Gathering, Broad Front, Victory Party, Kolina and Federal Commitment — four of which are former affiliates of the Front for Victory, whose candidate Daniel Scioli lost to Mr Macri.

But Ms Fernandez’s and Mr Scioli’s own Justicialist Party, founded in 1947 by Juan and Eva Peron, will not join Citizens’ Unity but remain in the Front for Victory.

In apparent explanation, Ms Fernandez told the crowd: “I come to add myself as one more, to contribute my body, hand and heart … to represent the interests of the men and women of flesh and bone.”

Sources close to Ms Fernandez said she intends to stand in Buenos Aires in October’s legislative elections.

jamestweedie@peoples-press.com