MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Yamandú Orsi elected President of Uruguay, marking left's return to power

Yamandú Orsi and Carolina Cosse, the elected formula. Photo: Sebastián Astorga

Uruguay has elected Yamandú Orsi of the Frente Amplio (FA) as its next president, bringing the left back to power after five years of conservative rule. Orsi secured 49.8% of the vote against 45.9% for Álvaro Delgado of the National Party, a margin of 92,000 votes, according to official results. The outgoing president, Luis Lacalle Pou, promptly congratulated Orsi, stating he was ready to facilitate a smooth transition.

Like a goal of “La Celeste” in a final, the thousands of people who were waiting for the results of the presidential elections next to the River Plate shore in Montevideo burst into a loud shout at 20:30. At this time, the lifting of the electoral ban, during which no information from the polls can be published, came into force and the first exit poll on Sunday was released. Orsi, the man chosen by former president José Mujica to bring the left back to power, won by a landslide over Lacalle Pou's friend and former secretary.

On Sunday night, the first to speak was the vice-president-elect, former Montevideo Mayor Carolina Cosse. ‘Today begins the road to the future of Uruguay and to hope,’ she said during her speech.

A crowd celebrates the result in front of Montevideo's promenade.
Photo: Sebastián Astorga

Cosse also pointed out that it is a road “of tolerance.” “We are here to unite. They wanted to divide us. They have told us that our Frente Amplio is the worst in history, and we are proud of our Frente Amplio, of this Frente Amplio. But we will not hold grudges, because we also know that there is a us that is bigger than the Frente, bigger than any political party, and that is because we are proud of our entire people,” she said.

In his victory speech, Orsi pledged to foster national dialogue and uphold Uruguay's democratic values. “The message cannot be other than embracing the debate of ideas,” he said. “Uruguay has once again triumphed as a country of freedom, equality, and tolerance.” Delgado graciously conceded, offering collaboration in favor of the nation.

Photo: Sebastián Astorga

The election signals a shift from the conservative coalition led by the National and Colorado Parties. While Uruguay’s economic indicators are stable, voters favored the FA's promises of “safe change,” focusing on economic growth, income distribution, and tackling poverty and insecurity.

The right and centre-right participated in the second round under the umbrella of the Republican Coalition, which, in addition to the National Party, added the Colorado Party, another centenarian force, and three smaller groupings, including the far-right Cabildo Abierto. But it was not enough to keep it in government. While the economic figures are not bad, its candidate, Delgado, failed to seduce an electorate that felt Uruguay was stagnating.

Delgado arrives his campaign bunker. Photo: Sebastián Astorga

On the other hand, from the losing candidate's campaign headquarters, Delgado acknowledged his defeat and issued a message on social networks congratulating Orsi: ‘Congratulations to president-elect Yamandú Orsi. Count on us in the construction of the agreements that Uruguay needs to continue advancing towards development’, Delgado wrote on X.

The message was along the same lines as what he had said earlier in his speech to the militancy: ‘The owners of the coalition are the people who have lived and militated for it throughout the country. This coalition is ready to give them both hands if they need one hand to help the country,’ he concluded.

Felicitaciones al presidente electo @OrsiYamandu. Contá con nosotros en la construcción de los acuerdos que el Uruguay necesita para seguir avanzando hacia el desarrollo.

— Alvaro Delgado (@AlvaroDelgadoUy) November 25, 2024

The FA plans to address the nation's 11.2 per 100,000 homicide rate and alleviate poverty, particularly among children, through reforms in social protection and a new system to combat organized crime and drug trafficking. Economist Gabriel Oddone, known for his social-democratic approach, will lead the government’s economic strategy.

Mujica, former president and elder statesman of the FA, highlighted the importance of negotiation in the next legislature, where the party holds a Senate majority but will need alliances in the House of Representatives to pass key legislation.