Uruguay's moderate election race bucks trend of regional political divides

27/10/2024 15:56

        Voters in South America's laid-back Uruguay, known for its beaches, legalized marijuana and stability, will head to the polls on Sunday in an election race between moderates that is a far cry from the political hostility in most of its neighbors.
        
        The country of 3.4 million people will vote for its next president and lawmakers, with pollsters predicting a likely run-off will be needed in November. More tense are plebiscite votes on divisive pension reforms and boosting police powers.
        
        But unlike sharp right-left divides in Argentina, Brazil or Mexico, Uruguay's political arena is relatively tension-free, with significant overlap between the major conservative and liberal coalitions taking some of the sting out of the result.
        
        "The two main camps are more or less the same in terms of macroeconomic policy or the vision for what Uruguay is and how to face various economic challenges," said Uruguayan economist Maria Dolores Benavente.