Argentine President Cristina Fernandez (2nd R), her husband, outgoing President Nestor Kirchner (L), daughter Florencia (R) and son Maximo, appear on stage in front of the Casa Rosada Government Palace in Buenos Aires December 10, 2007. [Agencies]
 
Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner sworn in as Argentina's president on Monday for four-year term after winning elections on October 28. She received the sash of office from her husband, Nestor Kirchner, the outgoing head of state and became the first woman to be elected president of Argentina.

Chants of "Viva Cristina" erupted as Kirchner effectively traded her position as first lady for that of president.

Kirchner, a social-democrat who is often compared to New York Senator Hillary Clinton, was sworn in before the two chambers¹ of Congress and in the presence of 160 foreign delegations².

In her first speech as president, Kirchner vowed³ to wage a war on poverty.

"There will be no definite triumph as long as there is poverty," she said.

The new president hailed her husband's government, which she said battled tirelessly against unemployment and poverty.

The new president has also vowed to follow the political continuity.

The first-lady-turned-president made it clear her husband would not fade into the political background.

"For me and for all Argentines, he will also continue being president," she said recently.

As Argentina's first elected woman president, she was born in La Plata in Buenos Aires province on Feb. 19, 1953, and studied law at the School of Legal and Social Sciences of La Plata National University in the 1970s.

She married Nestor Kirchner, her fellow university student, in 1975 before moving to the province of Santa Cruz, where the couple opened a law firm.

Nestor Kirchner, who remained popular throughout his presidency⁴, has not explained why he stepped aside for his wife instead of seeking another four-year term.

10月28日赢得阿根廷总统大选的克里斯蒂娜•费尔南德斯•基什内尔于本周一宣誓就职，开始了她的四年总统任期。克里斯蒂娜从她的丈夫、前任总统奈斯特•基什内尔手中接过象征总统权力的绶带，成为阿根廷历史上首位民选女总统。

在就职仪式上，当这位阿根廷前“第一夫人”正式“加冕”总统，全场爆发出“克里斯蒂娜万岁”的阵阵欢呼。

身为社会民主党人的基什内尔常被人拿来与美国纽约州参议员希拉里做比较。当天，克里斯蒂娜在阿根廷议会宣誓就职，议会参众两院议员及160名外国代表出席了她的就职仪式。

基什内尔就任后首次发表总统演讲，宣称要消除贫穷。

她说：“只要贫穷还存在，就没有绝对的胜利可言。”

这位新任总统高度评价了她丈夫领导的上届政府，她说，上届政府为消除贫穷和促进就业做出了不懈努力。

克里斯蒂娜还表示新政府将延续上届政府的政策导向。

这位新任女总统说，她的丈夫不会退出政治舞台。

她在最近的一次讲话中说：“他将是我和所有阿根廷人民永远的总统。”

克里斯蒂娜于1953年2月19日出生于布宜诺斯艾利斯省的拉普拉塔市。上世纪70年代，她在拉普拉塔国立大学的社会学与法学院攻读法律专业。

1975年，她与大学同学、奈斯特•基什内尔结婚，之后，两人搬往圣克鲁斯省，并在当地开了一家律师事务所。

执政期间一直颇受欢迎的前任总统奈斯特•基什内尔并没有解释其不谋求四年连任，而让位于妻子的原因。

Vocabulary:

wage a war(campaign):开始, 进行（战争﹑ 运动等）