UruguayYamandú Orsi voted next president of Uruguay
Yamandú Orsi, candidate of the Frente Amplio, will be Uruguay’s next president, having defeated Álvaro Delgado of the Partido Nacional with 49.8% of the vote.
Orsi expressed gratitude to his party’s supporters while also addressing those who did not vote for him, promising to govern with a focus on building consensus. For his part, Delgado congratulated the winner and stated that despite the outcome, “the coalition is here to stay.” Orsi will take office on March 1.
The Frente Amplio candidate won with 49.8% of the vote, compared to Álvaro Delgado’s 45.9%. As predicted by the polls, the margin of difference was narrow. Delgado won in 14 out of 19 departments, but it was not enough to secure victory. Yamandú Orsi, on the other hand, performed strongly in Canelones, his home department, where he served as mayor for two terms.
Who is the new president and what are his first objectives?
Yamandú Orsi began his political activism in the Frente Amplio following the end of Uruguay’s civic-military dictatorship in 1985. He is a member of the Movimiento de Participación Popular (MPP), the sector of the Frente Amplio led by former President José “Pepe” Mujica. After serving as Secretary-General of the Canelones Department, he was elected as its Intendant, holding the position from 2015 to 2024.
Orsi has been critical of the liberal approach of Luis Lacalle Pou’s Partido Nacional and advocates for social inclusion policies, a hallmark of previous Frente Amplio administrations. A key priority in his government program is to diversify Uruguay’s productive matrix, aiming to increase productivity sustainably while promoting employment growth. He also plans to boost the development of export services, such as audiovisual products, within the framework of a national telecommunications policy.
Orsi outlined a few ideas that he will likely aim to develop. Orsi mentioned the possibility of segmenting VAT so that lower-income populations do not pay the
same percentage as higher-income groups. “Perhaps the best tool for achieving tax justice in the future is to better leverage electronic mechanisms to personalize or target VAT,” he stated.
Also, the pension system was a central topic during the electoral campaign. While not all the points that might be revised under this administration are clear, Orsi expressed his intention to roll back the retirement age from 65 to 60. He also emphasized that he would not seek to nationalize the Pension Fund Administrators (AFAPs).
Finally, the Law of Urgent Consideration, a flagship policy of Luis Lacalle Pou’s government, comprises 476 articles covering topics ranging from finance to security. Although there was speculation that the Frente Amplio might aim to repeal it entirely, the president-elect specifically opposed measures allowing the downing of aircraft within the framework of air security
What will the interaction with the next Congress be like?
Orsi will govern with a majority in the Senate but will not have the same numbers in the House of Representatives. This will mark the first time the Frente Amplio governs without a parliamentary majority, making the need to build agreements a clear challenge. Orsi has positioned himself as a conciliator, expressing confidence in his ability to negotiate both within the legislature and in broader governance.
Another significant development will be the Coalición Republicana’s role as the opposition. The two seats held by Identidad Soberana will be closely watched by the Frente Amplio, as every vote matters in such a tight scenario. The new Congress will convene on February 15.