Uruguay’s 2024 Election: A Beacon of Democratic Stability in Latin America
In a remarkable display of democratic stability that sets it apart from its neighbors, Uruguay headed to the polls on October 28, 2024, for a presidential election that will now advance to a runoff between two moderate candidates.
The Leading Candidates
Yamandú Orsi, the 57-year-old center-left candidate and former history teacher, emerged as the frontrunner with over 41% of the votes. His opponent, Álvaro Delgado, 55, representing the center-right ruling party, secured approximately 27% of the votes. With neither candidate reaching the required 50% threshold, they will face each other in a runoff on November 24.
A Different Kind of Campaign
Unlike the heated political battles seen across Latin America and the United States, Uruguay’s election stands out for its civility and focus on real issues. Instead of personal attacks and divisive rhetoric, candidates concentrated on:
- Rising crime rates
- Pension reform
- Education quality
- Social security system changes
The Broad Front’s Legacy
Orsi’s Broad Front alliance, which previously held power from 2005-2020, made Uruguay famous for:
- Pioneering social reforms, including:
- Legalization of abortion
- Same-sex marriage approval
- Regulated marijuana use
- Strong economic growth
- Development of renewable energy (powering 98% of the grid)
The Surprise Third-Place Finish
Andrés Ojeda, a 40-year-old lawyer, surprised many by securing nearly 17% of the vote. His unconventional campaign style, featuring gym workout videos and social media engagement, successfully connected with younger voters. His support could prove crucial in the runoff.
Voter participation and Democratic values
The election saw an impressive 89% turnout from 2.7 million eligible voters, highlighting Uruguay’s strong democratic traditions. This high participation rate, partly due to compulsory voting, reinforces the country’s reputation as a model democracy in the region.
Constitutional Referendums
Alongside the presidential vote, Uruguayans rejected two significant constitutional reforms:
- A social security overhaul that would have:
- Lowered the retirement age
- Increased minimum payments
- Transferred private savings to government management
- A security measure that would have allowed nighttime police searches with court orders
Looking Ahead
The upcoming runoff presents voters with a choice between:
- Orsi’s vision: Strengthening social safety nets while maintaining business-friendly policies
- Delgado’s approach: Continuing the current administration’s market-oriented governance
Former President José “Pepe” Mujica, now 89 and battling cancer, captured the spirit of the election with his powerful statement: “We need to support democracy, not because it is perfect, but because humans have not yet invented anything better.”
As Uruguay moves toward the November 24 runoff, it continues to demonstrate that peaceful, issue-focused democratic transitions are possible in Latin America. While some might call such stability “boring,” as political analyst Juan Cruz Díaz notes, this kind of predictability and consensus-building is exactly what many neighboring countries desperately need.
Table of Contents