Voting is currently underway in Uruguay's presidential run-off election, where the leftist alliance led by former President Jose Mujica aims to reclaim power after five years of right-wing governance. Polling stations opened at 8 AM local time and will close at 7:30 PM, with initial results expected shortly after.
The election pits Yamandu Orsi of the Frente Amplio (Broad Front) against Alvaro Delgado of the National Party, who is backed by the outgoing President Luis Lacalle Pou's centre-right coalition. Recent opinion polls indicate a tightly contested race, with fewer than 25,000 votes potentially separating the candidates.
While President Lacalle Pou enjoys a 50 percent approval rating, his administration has faced criticism regarding rising crime rates, despite improvements in employment and wages. Orsi, who previously garnered 43.9 percent of votes in the first round, is advocating for a 'modern left' approach, while Delgado seeks to maintain the current government's trajectory.
Neither candidate holds an absolute majority in the lower house, but Orsi's Broad Front secured 16 out of 30 Senate seats in the first round, which he argues positions him favorably for governance. Both candidates are vying for the support of the approximately 8 percent of voters who favored smaller parties in the first round, as well as those who abstained.
As the election unfolds, questions arise regarding whether Uruguay will follow the global trend of incumbent parties losing support amid economic pressures. Voters are increasingly concerned about inflation and living costs, which have influenced electoral outcomes in various countries this year.