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Vázquez’s Party Leads in Uruguay
(Angus Reid Global Monitor) - Uruguay’s coalition of left-leaning parties holds a high level of public support, according to a poll by Cifra. 40 per cent of respondents would vote for the Progressive Encounter - Broad Front (EP-FA) in the next legislative election.
The conservative National Party-Whites (PN-B) is second with 32 per cent, followed by the Red Party (PC) with eight per cent.
Tabaré Vázquez—nominee for the EP-FA—won the October 2004 election with 50.45 per cent of the vote, becoming the first Uruguayan president to represent a political organization other than the PC and the PN-B.
The president officially took over in March 2005, and began his government with majorities in the Chamber of Deputies—with 52 lawmakers in the 99-seat lower house—and the Chamber of Senators—with 18 legislators in the 31-seat upper house.
Earlier this year, Uruguay was hit by a three-month drought that put the country’s hydroelectric energy production under great strain. To avoid programmed blackouts, the government launched a national "Plan to Save Energy".
In late May, Vázquez was compelled to extend the plan, which now includes a ban on lights in gardens and patios in private homes as well as an order to turn off half of the escalators and elevators operating in shopping malls. The president called for people to help with the initiative, saying, "To overcome this energy crisis we need everyone’s commitment."
Polling Data
If the presidential and parliamentary elections took place this Sunday, which party would you vote for?
|
Progressive Encounter - Broad Front (EP-FA) |
40% |
|
National Party-Whites (PN-B) |
32% |
|
Red Party (PC) |
8% |
|
Blank ballot |
9% |
|
Undecided |
11% |
Source: Cifra
Methodology: Interviews with 1,000 Uruguayan adults, conducted in May 2008. Margin of error is 3.3 per cent.