Uruguay: general election 2024 - Statistics & facts
On October 27th, 2024, voters in Uruguay will participate in general elections. On this date, the citizens of Uruguay will elect a new president, 30 senators, and 99 deputies. For this election, more than 2.7 million national citizens will be called upon to vote. Furthermore, two referendums will be included on the ballot.
Elections in Uruguay are held every five years and voting is compulsory. The presidential election uses a two-round system, which stipulates that, if a candidate does not receive 50 percent plus one of the votes, a second round will be held on November 24th, 2024. This election marks the end of the term of current President Lacalle Pou, whose approval rating as of September 2024 was 45 percent.
In line with this, one of the referendums on the ballot relates this concern. This referendum seeks to amend Article 11 of the Uruguayan Constitution to allow the National Security Forces to conduct nighttime house searches. As of September 2024, 52 percent of respondents indicated their intention to vote in favor of this amendment.
Elections in Uruguay are held every five years and voting is compulsory. The presidential election uses a two-round system, which stipulates that, if a candidate does not receive 50 percent plus one of the votes, a second round will be held on November 24th, 2024. This election marks the end of the term of current President Lacalle Pou, whose approval rating as of September 2024 was 45 percent.
A new president will be elected
In accordance with the Uruguayan constitution, the incumbent president is not eligible for re-election. Consequently, President Lacalle Pou is not a candidate in the current electoral cycle. In his place, the internal party election selected Álvaro Delgado as the candidate for the Partido Nacional (National Party). In the most recent poll, Delgado and the party were polling at 27 percent. The left-wing party Frente Amplio (Broad Front) is currently leading the polls with 44 percent. If the polls prove accurate, a second round of voting will be necessary, as none of the candidates is expected to reach the required threshold of more than 50 percent of the vote.Security concerns dominate public discourse
Despite being considered one of the most peaceful countries in the region, the election comes at a time when security issues are at the forefront of Uruguayans' concerns. In April 2024, nearly half of the population identified security as the main problem society is currently facing, overshadowing other issues such as employment and healthcare. This focus on crime and violence is consistent with the broader perception of Uruguay as an unsafe country, with 58 percent of respondents in 2024 expressing concerns about national security.In line with this, one of the referendums on the ballot relates this concern. This referendum seeks to amend Article 11 of the Uruguayan Constitution to allow the National Security Forces to conduct nighttime house searches. As of September 2024, 52 percent of respondents indicated their intention to vote in favor of this amendment.
