Uruguay - 2019 Election
The Broad Front, Uruguay's governing left-wing coalition, took an early but narrow lead ahead of the country's general elections in October 2019. In a poll published by Equipos 25 May 2018, the coalition captured 31 percent of the support of likely voters.
The National Party, the Broad Front's main legislative opposition, was second in the poll with 28 percent with the Colorado Party third on eight percent. Six percent of citizens divided their support among other opposition parties while 22 percent citizens stated they were undecided. According to Equipos “the structure of preferences remains stable, with two parties fighting for the first place (the Broad Front and the National Party) at around 30 percent.”
The percentage of undecided voters shows that “the public’s power to decide is not mature yet,” the polling company explained. Uruguayans have over a year to head to the polls. “Although in politics a year and a half is a lot of time, the remaining parties start at a position from which they will need to grow in a powerful way if they want to have a chance in the elections," the polling agency added.
The surveys were conducted between April and May and included 681 potential voters in 170 points of urban zones with over 5,000 inhabitants. The question was “As you know, in the year 2019 there will be national elections to elect a president and legislators. If the elections were today, have you decided who you will vote for?”
In July 2018 Uruguay's former President Jose Mujica called for the left to unite and fight back against the rise of the right-wing in Latin America, and praised Cuba and Fidel Castro as an example for the region. Mujica pointed to historical examples to emphasize the necessity of a united left front, recalling the long rule of Spanish 20th century dictator Francisco Franco, who "died in bed, of old age, peacefully, because communists, socialists and anarchists dedicated themselves much more to fighting among themselves rather than fighting against fascism."
He said he understood the lesson is a hard one to learn, because "every sect of the left thinks it has the revealed truth," but this mentality ends up destroying possible victories. "The right united out of interest, but we divide ourselves over ideas," Mujica said.
Mujica announced his retirement from the Senate on 14 August 2018, but had no plans to abandon political life – and may yet run for the presidency again in 2019. Speaking to local media, 83-year-old Mujica – who ruled from 2010 to 2015 and was immortalized as 'the world's humblest head of state' for donating 90 percent of his US$12,000 monthly salary to charity – said he was stepping down due to his advancing years and international travel plans.
"I feel I will not have the energy to attend parliament," he said, describing commitments as of August 21 to travel to Argentina, Spain, Italy and France "I cannot elude." But far from heralding Mujica's withdrawal from public life, the Broad Front (FA) senator insisted: "I will participate in the battle of ideas.... There are always pending issues."
"The capacity to think and dream far exceeds the capacity to fulfill that we men have," the leader of the Popular Participation Movement was quoted as saying by Prensa Latina. Asked about his high point in office, Mujica replied: "Every positive law that contributed to improving distribution." Such efforts, he said, draw little recognition at the time, becoming important only when their results are threatened.
"Parliament gains importance when a dictatorship comes and we lose it. Then we realize the value it has and then we forget it again." Regarding the 2019 presidential elections, Mujica said he was still considering whether to run as an independent candidate: "That would be the ideal thing, but I don't know if it will be achieved."
Voters would decide whether to extend the center-left Broad Front party's popular presidential administrations to a fourth term or to turn power over to the conservative opposition. The conservative opposition, the National Party, nominated Senator Luis Lacalle Pou as its presidential candidate. The Broad Front, led currently by incumbent President Tabaré Vázquez, inelegible to run again, nominated former Montevideo mayor Daniel Martinez. Recent polls indicated the most likely outcome will see Martinez come in first place, but with a runoff on November 24 against Lacalle Pou expected.
The left-leaning Broad Front coalition has governed the small South American nation since 2005 and its achievements include laws to approve gay marriage and the creation of the world's first national marketplace for legal marijuana. But opponents capitalized on growing disenchantment with the government over slowing economic growth and rising insecurity. The current administration of Tabaré Vázquez was hampered by scandals that have taken a bite out of its approval ratings. Vice President Raúl Sendic had to resign in 2017 over corruption allegations, the government has failed to address a dismal high school graduation rate, and a record 414 homicides last year have made public safety an urgent issue.
Polls gave the Broad Front's Daniel Martínez, the socialist former mayor of Montevideo, an edge over his strongest rival, Luis Lacalle Pou, a centrist former lawmaker from the National Party. But neither was expected to get the 50% plus one vote needed to win outright and avoid a runoff in November. With the Broad Front at the helm, Uruguay has seen significant economic growth. Poverty has dropped dramatically, to 8.1%, while the legalization of gay marriage, abortion, and the sale of marijuana in pharmacies has strengthened the country's reputation as a trailblazer in the region.
The left-wing ruling coalition's presidential candidate Daniel Martinez was ahead in Uruguay's general election, according to early results, but faces a tough challenge to beat the center-right in a runoff. The Broad Front's Martinez had about 38 percent with more than half the votes counted, well short of the absolute majority needed to win outright. Former senator Luis Lacalle Pou of the National Party was second with 30 percent. He will stand in the November 24 runoff, where he will be able to count on the support of two major rivals. Third-placed Ernesto Talvi, representing the Colorado party with 13 percent, and fourth-placed candidate Guido Manini Rios of the new right-wing party Open Cabildo, with 10 percent, both said they would support Lacalle Pou in the second round.
As pre-election campaigns closed Lacalle Pou had struck a confident tone, saying Uruguay was demanding change. Pre-election polls had showed him beating Martinez by a margin of 6-8 points. Opinion polls since the first round had indicated the 46-year-old former senator would comfortably win the run-off. But with almost all the votes counted, his lead over Martinez, a 62-year-old former Montevideo mayor, was just over one percent.
Uruguay's conservative opposition held a slim lead 24 November 2019 in the run-off presidential election between the liberal ruling party and a resurgent opposition that had been the pre-vote favorite to clinch victory. With 99.4% of polling booths counted, National Party candidate Luis Lacalle Pou had 48.74% of the vote ahead of Daniel Martinez's ruling Broad Front party with 47.48%, official data showed, with around 30,000 votes separating the two rivals.
In a region undergoing political upheaval, the likely swing to the right would mark a major shift in the farm-driven South American nation, known for its cattle ranches and liberal policies on legalized marijuana and abortion rights. Broad Front, the ruling party for 15 years, has overseen a period of stability and growth, but has come under pressure recently from a slowing economy due to global trade woes and the effects of drought and flooding on the key farm sector.
Center-right candidate Luis Lacalle Pou won Uruguay's presidential election 28 November 2019 after his rival conceded, bringing an end to 15 years of leftist rule in the South American country. Daniel Martinez, candidate for the ruling Broad Front, recognized that an ongoing vote recount would not affect his already slim chance of victory and conceded.
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