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{{Infobox political system|name=Politics of Uruguay|legislature=[[General Assembly of Uruguay|General Assembly]]|court=[[Supreme Court of Uruguay|Supreme Court]]|judiciary=[[Judiciary of Uruguay]]|lowerhouse_speaker=[[Ana Olivera]]|lowerhouse=[[Chamber of Representatives of Uruguay|Chamber of Representatives]]|upperhouse_speaker_title=[[Vice President of Uruguay|Vice President of Uruguay & President of the Senate]]|upperhouse_speaker=[[Beatriz Argimón]]|upperhouse=[[Senate of Uruguay|Senate]]|legislature_place=[[Legislative Palace of Uruguay]]|legislature_type=[[Bicameralism|Bicameral]]|cabinet_ministries=[[List of Ministries of Uruguay|14]]|native_name=|cabinet_hq=[[Executive Tower, Montevideo|Executive Tower]]|current_cabinet=[[Cabinet of Uruguay]]|current_hosag=[[Luis Alberto Lacalle Pou]]|title_hosag=[[President of Uruguay|President]]|constitution=[[Constitution of Uruguay]]|type=[[Unitary state|Unitary]] [[Presidential system|presidential]] [[Constitutionalism|constitutional]] [[republic]]|caption=|image_size=44|image=Coat of arms of Uruguay.svg|chief_judge=[[Elena Martínez Rosso]]}}{{Politics of Uruguay}}
{{Uruguay main topics}} 
The '''politics of Uruguay''' abide by a [[presidential system|presidential]] [[Representative democracy|representative democratic]] [[republic]], under which the [[president of Uruguay]] is both the [[head of state]] and the [[head of government]], as well as a multiform party system. The president exercises [[executive power]] and [[legislative power]] and is vested in the two chambers of the [[General Assembly of Uruguay]]. The [[Judiciary]] is independent from the executive and legislature.

The Colorado and National parties have been locked in a power struggle, with the predominance of the Colorado party throughout most of [[Uruguay|Uruguay's]] history. The [[2004 Uruguayan general election|2004 election]], however, brought the [[Broad Front (Uruguay)|Encuentro Progresista-Frente Amplio-Nueva Mayoría]], a coalition of socialists, former [[Tupamaros]], communists, social democrats, and Christian Democrats among others to power with majorities in both houses of parliament. A majority vote elected President [[Tabaré Vázquez]].

In [[2009 Uruguayan general election|2009]], the Broad Front once again won the elections with a plurality of the votes. A presidential runoff was triggered because their candidate, [[José Mujica]], received only 47.96 percent of the vote. The Broad Front's candidate beat former president [[Luis Alberto Lacalle|Luis Alberto Lacalle Herrera]] of the [[National Party (Uruguay)|Nacional Party]] in the second round of voting. In addition to the presidency, the Broad Front won a simple majority in the Uruguayan Senate and Chamber of Representatives.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2014-07-14|title=Facultad de Ciencias Sociales|url=http://www.fcs.edu.uy/pagina.php?PagId=269&CatId=83&SubCatId=124|access-date=2020-11-24|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140714202422/http://www.fcs.edu.uy/pagina.php?PagId=269&CatId=83&SubCatId=124|archive-date=2014-07-14}}</ref> In [[2014 Uruguayan general election|2014]], former president Tabaré Vázquez retook power after defeating, in a second round, the candidate of the National Party, [[Luis Lacalle Pou]], who would be the winner of the [[2019 Uruguayan general election|2019 election]], surpassing the socialist [[Daniel Martínez (politician)|Daniel Martínez]] with 50.79 to 49.2 percent of the vote.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2019-12-21|title=SEGUNDA ELECCION 2019|url=https://segundaeleccion2019.corteelectoral.gub.uy/ResumenResultados.htm|access-date=2020-11-24|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191221075357/https://segundaeleccion2019.corteelectoral.gub.uy/ResumenResultados.htm|archive-date=2019-12-21}}</ref>

According to the [[V-Dem Democracy indices]] Uruguay is 2023 the 4th most [[Democracy in Latin America and the Caribbean|electoral democratic country in Latin America]].<ref name="vdem_dataset">{{cite web |last=V-Dem Institute |date=2023 |title=The V-Dem Dataset |url=https://www.v-dem.net/data/the-v-dem-dataset/ |access-date=14 October 2023}}</ref>

== History ==

Until 1919, and from 1934 to 1952, Uruguay's political system, based on the [[Constitution of Uruguay of 1830|1830 Constitution]], was presidential with strong executive power, similar to that of the United States (but centralized rather than federal). It was also characterized by the rivalry between the two traditional parties, the liberal [[Colorado Party (Uruguay)|Colorado Party]] and the conservative [[National Party (Uruguay)|Blanco Party]] (or National Party). Historically, the Blancos represented the interests of rural property, the Church and the military hierarchy, while the Colorados were supported by urban movable property and reformist intellectuals.

In the 19th century, Uruguay had similar characteristics to other [[Latin America|Latin American]] countries, including [[caudillism]], civil wars and permanent instability (40 revolts between 1830 and 1903), control of important economic sectors in the hands of foreign capital, a high rate of illiteracy (more than half the population in 1900), and a landed oligarchy. Yet [[Montevideo]] became a refuge for [[Argentine]] exiles fleeing the dictatorship of [[Juan Manuel de Rosas]] and maintained a reputation as a welcoming place for "advanced" ideas of political and social protest. In 1842, the newspaper ''Le Messager français'' devoted a special issue to the memory of [[Charles Fourier]]. During the [[Great Siege of Montevideo]] (1843-1851), Garibaldi's redshirts fought against Rosas' attacking forces. In 1875, workers founded a section of the [[International Workingmen's Association|International]].

At the beginning of the 20th century, Uruguay became the most politically and socially advanced state on the continent. The liberal [[José Batlle y Ordóñez]] (in power between 1903 and 1907, then between 1911 and 1915) was the main architect of this transformation; freedom of expression and the press was affirmed, as was that of suffrage. A system of proportional representation was adopted to allow for the representation of minorities. This period also saw the [[Capital punishment in Uruguay#Abolition|abolition of the death penalty]], a fight against administrative corruption, and the introduction of secularism and [[Women's suffrage in Uruguay|women's suffrage]].

On the economic level, Batlle stated that "industry must not be allowed to destroy human beings...on the contrary the State must regulate it in order to make the lives of the masses happier." An economic policy of [[dirigisme]] was thus undertaken, nationalizing many sectors of the economy (railways, telephone, electricity, among others). "Batllism" also took the form of social measures, including the introduction of free and compulsory primary education, maternity leave and the [[eight-hour day]], as well as support for trade unions and the recognition of the right to strike. All this legislation, which was very advanced for its time, made Uruguay a progressive social democracy.<ref>Latin America in the 20th century: 1889-1929, 1991, p. 186-191</ref>

==Constitution==
{{Main|Constitution of Uruguay}}

Uruguay adopted its first constitution in 1830, following the conclusion of a three-year war in which [[Argentina]] and Uruguay fought as a regional federation: the [[United Provinces of the Río de la Plata]]. Sponsored by the [[United Kingdom]], the [[1828 Treaty of Montevideo]] built the foundations for a Uruguayan state and constitution. A constitution proposed under the military dictatorship government was rejected by a referendum in 1980.[[File:Torre Ejecutiva (Montevideo).jpg|thumb|[[Executive Tower, Montevideo|Executive Tower]] seats the [[executive power]].]]

== Executive branch ==
{{See also|List of presidents of Uruguay|List of ministries of Uruguay}}

Uruguay's Constitution of 1967 created a strong [[President (government title)|presidency]], subject to [[legislative]] and [[judiciary|judicial]] balance. Many of these provisions were suspended in 1973 but reestablished in 1985.  The [[President of Uruguay|president]], who is both the [[head of state]] and the [[head of government]], is elected by [[Direct election|popular vote]] for a five-year term, with the vice president elected on the same ticket. The president must act together with the [[Cabinet of Uruguay|Council of Ministers]], which comprises [[cabinet (government)|cabinet]] ministers, appointed by the president. Thirteen ministers head various [[executive (government)|executive]] departments. The ministers can be removed by the General Assembly by a majority vote.

The [[Constitution of Uruguay|Constitution]] amendment establishes the requirements for becoming president. Article 151 establishes that the president must be a [[natural-born citizen]] of the country, or have been born to an Uruguayan citizen if born abroad. The president must also be at least 35 years old and be registered in the National Civic Registry.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Constitución de la República Oriental del Uruguay|url=https://www.impo.com.uy/bases/constitucion/1967-1967/151|access-date=2020-05-01|website=www.impo.com.uy}}</ref> The current president since 1 March 2020 is [[Luis Alberto Lacalle Pou|Luis Lacalle Pou]], the son of the 36th president, [[Luis Alberto Lacalle]]. <gallery mode="nolines" widths="150" heights="150">
File:2020-03-01 Cerimônia de Transmissão de Mandato Presidencial (cropped).jpg|[[Luis Lacalle Pou]] is the current president of Uruguay since 1 March 2020
File:Beatriz Argimón PN septiembre 2019 (cropped).jpg|[[Beatriz Argimón]] is the current vice president of Uruguay since 1 March 2020
</gallery>

==Legislative branch==

[[File:Palacio legislativo aw.jpg|thumb|[[Legislative Palace of Uruguay|Legislative Palace]], seat of the [[General Assembly of Uruguay]]]]
The [[General Assembly of Uruguay|General Assembly]] (''Asamblea General'') has two [[bicameralism|chambers]]. The [[Chamber of Representatives of Uruguay|Chamber of Representatives]] (''Cámara de Representantes'') has 99 members, elected for a five-year term by [[proportional representation]] with at least two members per department. The [[Senate of Uruguay|Chamber of Senators]] (''Cámara de Senadores'') has 31 members; 30 members are elected for a five-year term by [[proportional representation]] and the Vice-president who presides over it.

==Judicial branch==
[[File:Suprema Corte de Justicia.JPG|thumb|[[Palacio Piria]], seat of the [[Judiciary of Uruguay|judiciary]]]]
The [[judiciary of Uruguay]] is headed by the [[Supreme Court of Uruguay|Supreme Court of Justice]], whose members are appointed by the [[General Assembly of Uruguay|General Assembly]] through a two-thirds majority and whose terms last ten years. The Supreme Court of Justice is the last instance of appeal and is also in charge of judging the constitutionality of the laws. The judiciary is also made up of Courts of Appeals, District Courts and Peace Courts, as well as Conciliation Courts, Mediation Centers, and Misdemeanour Courts. Other dependencies of the Uruguayan judiciary are the Public Defender Office, the Forensic Technical Institute, and the Center for Judiciary Studies.

==Direct democracy==
The Uruguayan political system allows citizens to use direct democracy mechanisms to directly take political decisions on the current legal system without intermediaries. These mechanisms are the [[referendum]]s to repeal recently approved laws, [[plebiscite]]s to propose changes to the Constitution and the power of citizens to drive ''popular initiatives'' such as to propose referendums, to propose law drafts to the Parliament, to reform the Constitution and to deal with departmental matters.<ref>{{cite journal|url=https://www.tse.go.cr/revista/art/6/GONZALEZ.pdf|last=González Rissoto|first=Rodolfo|date=2008b|title=La democracia directa en Uruguay|language=es|journal=Revista de Derecho Electoral|issue=6|publisher=Tribunal Supremo de Elecciones|issn=1659-2069}}</ref>

==Political parties and elections==
{{elect|List of political parties in Uruguay|Elections in Uruguay}}
{{Main|2019 Uruguayan general election}}
{{#section-h:2019 Uruguayan general election|Results}}

==International organization participation==
Uruguay or Uruguayan organizations participate in the following international organizations: 
* The [[Food and Agriculture Organization]] (FAO)
* [[Group of 77]] (G-77)
* [[Inter-American Development Bank]] (IADB)
* [[International Atomic Energy Agency]] (IAEA)
* International Bank for Reconstruction and Development ([[World Bank]])
* [[International Civil Aviation Organization]] (ICAO)
* [[International Criminal Court]] (ICC)
* [[International Chamber of Commerce]] (ICC)
* [[International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement|International Red Cross]]
* [[International Fund for Agricultural Development]] (IFAD)
* [[International Finance Corporation]] (IFC)
* [[International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies]] (IFRCS)
* [[International Hydrographic Organization]] (IHO)
* [[International Labour Organization]] (ILO)
* [[International Monetary Fund]] (IMF)
* [[International Maritime Organization]] (IMO)
* [[Interpol (organization)|Interpol]]
* [[International Olympic Committee]] (IOC)
* [[International Organization for Migration]] (IOM)
* [[International Organization for Standardization]] (ISO)
* [[International Telecommunication Union]] (ITU)
* [[Latin American Economic System]] (LAES)
* [[Latin American Integration Association]] (LAIA)
* [[Mercosur]]
* [[United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara]] (MINURSO)
* [[United Nations Organization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo]] (MONUC)
* [[Non-Aligned Movement]] (NAM) (observer)
* [[Organization of American States]] (OAS)
* [[Agency for the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons in Latin America and the Caribbean]] (OPANAL)
* [[Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons]] (OPCW)
* [[Permanent Court of Arbitration]] (PCA)
* [[Rio Group]] (RG)
* [[Union of South American Nations]] (UNASUR)
* [[United Nations]]
* [[United Nations Mission in Sierra Leone]] (UNAMSIL)
* [[United Nations Conference on Trade and Development]] (UNCTAD)
* [[UNESCO|United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization]] (UNESCO)
* [[United Nations Industrial Development Organization]] (UNIDO)
* [[United Nations Mission in Ethiopia and Eritrea]] (UNMEE)
* [[United Nations Mission of Support in East Timor]] (UNMISET)
* [[United Nations Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan]] (UNMOGIP)
* [[United Nations Mission of Observers in Tajikistan]] (UNMOT)
* [[United Nations Observer Mission in Georgia]] (UNOMIG)
* [[Universal Postal Union]] (UPU)
* [[World Confederation of Labour]] (WCL)
* [[World Customs Organization]] (WCO)
* [[World Federation of Trade Unions]] (WFTU)
* [[World Health Organization]] (WHO)
* [[World Intellectual Property Organization]] (WIPO)
* [[World Meteorological Organization]] (WMO)
* [[World Tourism Organization]] (WToO)
* [[World Trade Organization]] (WTO)

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20110809113827/http://portal.gub.uy/ Official website]
* [http://www.parlamento.gub.uy/ Parliament of Uruguay]
* [http://www.presidencia.gub.uy/ Presidency of Uruguay]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20131227132848/http://www.fcs.edu.uy/pagina.php?PagId=338 Political Data Bank at the Social Sciences School of the Universidad de la República (Uruguay)]

==Further reading==
*[http://www.geipar.udelar.edu.uy/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/Frens-String.pdf/ Revolution Through Reform: Popular Assemblies, Housing Cooperatives, and Uruguay’s New Left]

{{Uruguay topics}}
{{Americas topic|Politics of}}
{{SouthAmerican legislatures}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Politics of Uruguay| ]]