After fifteen years of being the dominant political party in Uruguay, the Broad Front coalition finally lost an election. On Sunday, Luis Lacalle Pou was inaugurated as the next president of Uruguay. The right-wing victory of Pou is an extreme shift in governance as the Broad Front had cultivated positive economic growth over the past fifteen years. However, trust in the Broad Front has dwindled recently with little recent economic growth and a spike in homicide rates. Many voters believe the Broad Front has not done enough to quell rising drug use and murder rates. Pou and the National Party have gained popularity largely through their commitment to ensuring public safety in Uruguay. The National Party also appeals to voters because of its promise to lower government spending and tax rates. Because the cost of living in Uruguay has been so incredibly high in recent years, tax cuts and lower government spending is certainly appealing for most voters. Last year, Uruguay experienced its worst deficit in roughly 30 years. While the Broad Front was in power during this deficit, the National Party is committed to lowering it. According to economist Ignacio Munyo, “Uruguayans pay 30 percent more for a litre of gasoline, than Argentines, Brazilians and Chileans.” There is a lot of optimism surrounding Pou’s effectiveness in office because of the National Party making up the majority of congress. However, the election win for the National Party signifies a larger shift in tide in Uruguayan society. While the vote is fairly evenly split between the Broad Front and the National Party, the latter is gaining momentum more rapidly than ever before. This election fits into a greater historical context because the divisiveness of politics is increasing when it took so long for the country to become fully unified following independence from Spain. However, legitimate democratic elections in Uruguay must be celebrated in the wake of many historical Uruguayan regimes being overthrown, assassinated, or corrupt. Legitimate democratic elections demonstrate to Europe and the United States that intervention is not necessary.
Marco Peticca
Yanakiew, Monica. “Uruguay Ushers in First Conservative Government in 15 Years.” Uruguay News, Al Jazeera, 1 Mar. 2020.
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