Uruguay’s Challenge: Populism Without Populists
Plebiscites to reform the Constitution for partisan ends pose a growing risk to the nation’s reputation for policy stability.
MONTEVIDEO – In a region almost defined by populism, Uruguayans have resisted the temptation of electing a populist president, one who undermines established democratic institutions on the basis of a claim to represent the popular will. The reasons include a robust party system, a stable economy, an independent and respected judiciary, and relatively low levels of inequality and poverty. But recent political developments in the country demonstrate that populist policies can still be implemented without having a populist in power. Backers of three initiatives are seeking to collect at...
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