MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

First time Uruguay's coalition looses lead to opposition

Broad Front coalition meeting

The latest public opinion poll to be released in Uruguay shows that if national elections were to be held this Sunday, the sum of votes from opposition parties would be just enough to defeat the Socialist oriented ruling coalition.

The poll shows that 35% of respondents would vote for the main opposition National party which together with the 8% from the Colorado party and 1% of the Independent party, would be several points ahead of the Broad Front coalition 42%. The poll confirms the long term tendency of eroding support for the ruling coalition and the increase of the opposition National party. It's also the first time that the two main opposition parties together (35% plus 8%) recorded a higher percentage than the ruling coalition's 42%. The Factum poll is completed with 11% of undecided and 3% who replied they would vote "blank or other options". In the previous poll the ruling coalition had 44% respondents, the National party 34%, the Colorado 8% and Independents 2%. This meant that the government still had a tow percentage lead. Factum's director Oscar Bottinelli commenting on the results pointed out that the poll was a "Picture" and not a forecast of what might happen in the next general election (October 2009). In the previous election, October 2004, the Broad Front won with an absolute majority and no need of a run off. It was the first time in Uruguay that a political organization had won with such an ample margin since the 1966 Constitution review. He added that a year ago another victory for the ruling coalition seemed "inexorable" but currently, mathematical chances are similar both for whoever is the incumbent or the opposition candidate. "At present, the Broad Front can win or loose, and that is the real change that has happened in the last few months", said Bottinelli.