Uruguay election heads to runoff; pension reform set to fail.

Uruguay’s official presidential election results on Sunday show that center-left candidate Yamandu Orsi and conservative Alvaro Delgado are headed for a runoff next month, as neither candidate achieved the majority required to win outright. With 60% of votes counted, Orsi leads with 41.5%, followed by Delgado at 28.7%. Andres Ojeda, a younger conservative known for his social media presence, garnered 16.8% and has committed to supporting Delgado in a second round to prevent a leftist victory.

Since no candidate surpassed 50% of the vote, a second round of voting is scheduled for November 24. Unlike much of Latin America’s sharply divided left-right politics, Uruguay’s two main centrist candidates reflect a unique overlap in liberal and conservative coalitions, softening the traditionally polarized election landscape.

In addition to choosing a president, Uruguay’s 3.4 million citizens voted for vice president, parliamentary representatives, and two national referendums. The referendums included a pension reform proposal to lower the retirement age from 65 to 60 and a security initiative to increase police powers in fighting drug crime. Exit polls show both referendums were likely rejected. Local polling firms, Cifra and Equipos Consultores, report that 61% of voters opposed the pension reform, easing concerns from investors and politicians about potential economic impacts. The security measure also failed to garner enough support, with less than 40% backing.

In the capital, Montevideo, Broad Front supporters gathered along the waterfront as Orsi addressed them, saying, “We are the party that grew the most in this election,” and encouraged his supporters to maintain momentum leading into the runoff. Despite his call to action, Broad Front voters were subdued, recognizing the combined conservative support might ultimately prevail.

In Uruguay’s rural regions, where conservative support is stronger, Delgado voters like Ramon Silveira voiced hopes for continued conservative governance. Silveira, a farm worker, expressed optimism that the ruling coalition could reduce crime with additional time in power, acknowledging room for improvement in security efforts.

The conservative ruling coalition, which has faced criticism over its handling of security issues, is banking on economic growth to bolster voter support in the runoff. Delgado, optimistic about the coalition’s performance, remarked, “I’m convinced that all the work we’ve done and what we represent is going to turn out well.” The coalition hopes that progress in employment and real wages will sway voters to choose continuity over change in November.