Independence:
25 August 1825 (from Brazil)
National holiday:
Independence Day, 25 August (1825)
Constitution:
27 November 1966, effective February 1967; suspended 27 June 1973,
new constitution rejected by referendum 30 November 1980; two
constitutional reforms approved by plebiscite 26 November 1989 and 7
January 1997
Legal system:
based on Spanish civil law system; accepts compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal and compulsory
Executive branch:
chief of state: President Tabare VAZQUEZ Rosas (since 1 March 2005)
and Vice President Rodolfo NIN NOVOA (since 1 March 2005); note -
the president is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government: President Tabare VAZQUEZ Rosas (since 1 March
2005) and Vice President Rodolfo NIN NOVOA (since 1 March 2005);
note - the president is both the chief of state and head of
government
cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president with
parliamentary approval
elections: president and vice president elected on the same ticket
by popular vote for five-year terms (may not serve consecutive
terms); election last held 31 October 2004 (next to be held October
2009)
election results: Tabare VAZQUEZ elected president; percent of vote
- Tabare VAZQUEZ 50.5%, Jorge LARRANAGA 35.1%, Guillermo STIRLING
10.3%; other 4.1%
Legislative branch:
bicameral General Assembly or Asamblea General consists of Chamber
of Senators or Camara de Senadores (30 seats; members are elected by
popular vote to serve five-year terms; vice president has one vote
in the Senate) and Chamber of Representatives or Camara de
Representantes (99 seats; members are elected by popular vote to
serve five-year terms)
elections: Chamber of Senators - last held 31 October 2004 (next to
be held October 2009); Chamber of Representatives - last held 31
October 2004 (next to be held October 2009)
election results: Chamber of Senators - percent of vote by party -
NA%; seats by party - EP-FA 16, Blanco 11, Colorado Party 3; Chamber
of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party
- EP-FA 52, Blanco 36, Colorado Party 10, Independent Party 1
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court (judges are nominated by the president and elected
for 10-year terms by the General Assembly)
Political parties and leaders:
Broad Front Coalition (Frente Amplio) - formerly known as the
Progressive Encounter/Broad Front Coalition or EP-FA [Jorge
BROVETTO]; Colorado Party [Julio Maria SANGUINETTI]; Independent
Party (Partido Independiente) [Pablo MIERES]; Movement of Popular
Participation or MPP [Jose MUJICA]; National Party or Blanco [Jorge
LARRANAGA]; New Sector/Space Coalition (Nuevo Espacio) [Rafael
MICHELINI]; Broad Front Coalition (Frente Amplio) - formerly known
as the Progressive Encounter/Broad Front Coalition or EP-FA [Jorge
BROVETTO]; Uruguayan Assembly or Asamblea Uruguay [Danilo ASTORI]
Political pressure groups and leaders:
Architect's Society of Uruguay (professional organization);
Catholic Church; Chamber of Uruguayan Industries (manufacturer's
association); Chemist and Pharmaceutical Association (professional
organization); PIT-CNT (powerful federation of Uruguayan unions);
Rural Association of Uruguay (rancher's association); students;
Uruguayan Construction League