Explainer: Uruguay’s 2024 General Elections

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The margins are razor thin as 2.8 million Uruguayans head to the polls on October 27 to elect their new president, as well as all seats in the upper and lower houses of Parliament. But, the most divisive race may be for a referendum that could alter the country’s pension system.

For the contest to replace term-limited President Luis Lacalle Pou, 11 contenders are squaring with two polling ahead: Yamandú Orsi of the left-of-center Broad Front coalition, and Álvaro Delgado of the incumbent National Party. Polls show Orsi with a lead of 15 to 20 percentage points over Delgado in the first round. If no candidate receives more than 50 percent, the top two finishers will complete in a runoff on November 24. Polling suggests a similarly tight race for control over Parliament.

In addition to refreshing the country’s executive and legislative branches, Uruguayans will decide on two referendum questions. The first addresses rising concerns about insecurity and asks whether a constitutional ban on nighttime police raids on homes should be lifted.

The second is a sweeping pension reform that analyst Nicolás Saldías of the Economist Intelligence Unit described in the Latin America in Focus podcast as “a potential Brexit moment” for Uruguay, as it could expose a rift between the political establishment and the population. Major proposals include reverting the retirement age to 60 from 65, tying pensions to the minimum wage, and scrapping private pension fund managers.

Voting in Uruguay is obligatory, but Uruguayans outside of the country cannot vote. Voter turnout averages around 90 percent. In the 2019 election, just 37,000 votes separated the run-off candidates.

Who are the major candidates in this year’s election? And how do the two referenda put a spotlight on top voter concerns? AS/COA Online explains.

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