By Lucinda Elliott
MONTEVIDEO (Reuters) – Voters in South America’s laid-back Uruguay, identified for its seashores, legalized marijuana and stability, will head to the polls on Sunday in an election race between moderates that could be a far cry from the political hostility in most of its neighbors.
The nation of three.4 million folks will vote for its subsequent president and lawmakers, with pollsters predicting a possible run-off might be wanted in November. Extra tense are plebiscite votes on divisive pension reforms and boosting police powers.
However not like sharp right-left divides in Argentina, Brazil or Mexico, Uruguay’s political enviornment is comparatively tension-free, with vital overlap between the key conservative and liberal coalitions taking a number of the sting out of the consequence.
“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,” stated Uruguayan economist Maria Dolores Benavente.
The vote within the small farming nation sees Broad Entrance center-left candidate Yamandu Orsi, the pre-election favourite, tackle continuity conservative contender Alvaro Delgado. Behind them is younger social media-savvy conservative Andres Ojeda.
Polls present Orsi within the lead, however point out no presidential candidate would seemingly get greater than 50% of the vote, which means a second spherical run-off can be held on Nov. 24 between the highest two finishers on Sunday.
Poll stations open at 7.30 a.m. (1030 GMT) and shut at 7.30 p.m. native time, with outcomes anticipated two hours later.
The larger stress might be two binding plebiscites, additionally on Sunday. One will ask whether or not to overtake Uruguay’s $22.5 billion non-public pension system that has drawn criticism from politicians throughout the aisle who say it might harm the financial system.
Uruguayans may also vote on whether or not to take away constitutional restrictions on nighttime police raids of personal houses, as a option to fight drug-related crime, a rising concern of voters. Each referendums require easy majorities to cross.
“We must take control of our safety,” Orsi stated at a marketing campaign rally this week, pledging to be robust on crime.
The ruling conservative coalition is struggling to defend its safety file, however hopes successes on the financial system – with each employment and actual salaries on the rise – could also be sufficient to persuade voters to decide on continuity over change.
“We have a better country than in 2019,” Delgado stated in a marketing campaign speech within the metropolis Las Piedras, referring to the earlier election. “The alternative is to go backwards.”
