Uruguay: New Party Realignment or Does Every Solid Party Democracy Melts Into Air?

ABSTRACT

Uruguay has always been a unique country in Latin America, seen as an example of stability, and this image was not affected even with the realignment of the party system – previously bipartisan – that took place after the creation of the Broad Front. Despite this, this article identifies, based on the 2019 primaries and national elections, mainly through qualitative data analysis, but also bringing to the surface quantitative evidence, signs of misalignment and a new realignment of the party system. An analysis of the correlation of forces within the fractions of the traditional parties and the comparison of the last elections with the electoral history of other parties besides the Colorados , the Blancos , and Broad Front allows such a diagnosis. The emergence of anti-party associations or groups that place themselves outside the right-left categorization is noticeable, as well as the increase in both party fragmentation and the conservative vote.

Political Parties; Party System; Uruguay; Elections; Parliament