Leftist candidate Yamandú Orsi has won Uruguay's presidency in a closely contested runoff election.
Orsi's win ushers in a return of the Broad Front, the party that governed for 15 consecutive years until the 2019 election of center-right National Party President Luis Lacalle Pou.
The 57-year-old former history teacher and two-time mayor defeated Lacelle Pou's leadership successor Álvaro Delgado, marking the latest in a series of global elections favoring opposition candidates.
With nearly all votes counted, Orsi secured 49.8 percent of the vote, surpassing Delgado's 45.9 percent, according to electoral officials.
Broad Front Coalition Returns to Power After Five Years
Voter turnout reached nearly 90 percent in the nation of 3.4 million——compulsory voting is enshrined in the country's laws.
Delgado, 55, a veterinarian and Lacalle Pou's close ally, conceded defeat Sunday night, describing the loss as bittersweet. "With sadness, but without guilt, we can congratulate the winner," Delgado said to subdued supporters.
"But it's one thing to lose the elections and another to be defeated. We are not defeated."
President Lacalle Pou, who is constitutionally barred from another term, congratulated Orsi and offered his support for a smooth transition.
"I called Yamandú Orsi to congratulate him as President-elect of our country and to put myself at his service," Lacalle Pou posted on social media platform X.
Former President Pepe Mujica's Influence Endures
Orsi, who will assume office on March 1, 2025, vowed to unite the nation after the tight election.
His victory follows the Broad Front's prior governance throughout three elections.
Their last run achieved significant poverty reduction——the World Bank reported poverty rates dropped from 39.9 to around 4.6 percent——and annual GDP expansion averaging around 4.6 percent between 2005 and 2014.
In particular, former President José "Pepe" Mujica's leadership from 2010-2015 saw a number of progressive social reforms.
Uruguay legalized abortion in 2012, gay marriage in 2013, becoming the first country to legalize the production, sale, and consumption of marijuana that same year.
His achievements were seen as groundbreaking for Latin America at the time, soon becoming an international symbol of functioning, sustainable left-wing politics.
'A More Integrated Society and Country'
Orsi instead positioned himself as a moderate advocating continuity rather than dramatic change.
"The country of liberty, equality and fraternity has triumphed once again," Orsi said to jubilant supporters in capital Montevideo.
His running mate, Carolina Cosse——an engineer and academic——has served as the Governor (known as Intendant) of Montevideo since 2020.
Focal points of their campaign included: revitalizing the agricultural sector, promoting tax incentives to attract investment, and greater security.
Analysts noted that his platform echoed the pragmatic mix of welfare programs and market-friendly policies pioneered under Mujica, a figure Orsi has described as an inspiration.
"I will be the president who calls for national dialogue again and again, who builds a more integrated society and country."
Uruguay's Poverty and Organized Crime Gangs
Mujica, now 89, praised Orsi for his humility and Uruguay's democratic stability.
"This is no small feat," Mujica told reporters while voting. "Our citizenry respects formal institutions."
Orsi faces significant challenges, including addressing childhood poverty, which has risen to 25 percent, and tackling an upsurge in crime gangs.
He has also expressed intentions to reconsider a trade agreement with China pursued by Lacalle Pou, a move that could have implications for Uruguay's Mercosur trade bloc membership.
Why Did Delgado Lose the 2024 Election?
Nicolás Saldías, an analyst at the Economist Intelligence Unit, said Delgado's loss stemmed partly from a weak campaign focused on criticizing the Broad Front rather than offering a compelling vision for the future.
"Delgado struggled with communication defending the government's agenda," Saldías said. "It was a fear-based campaign that did not satisfy enough voters."
"Let's understand that there is another part of our country who have different feelings today," Orsi said as fireworks erupted in Montevideo.
"These people will also have to help build a better country. We need them too."
This article includes reporting from The Associated Press
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