In the last few hours, the Frente Amplio (FA), the main opposition coalition in Uruguay, has issued a statement detailing its position regarding the upcoming plebiscite on social security reform, scheduled for October 27.
The statement, released by the party’s National Political Board, reveals a strategy of “freedom of action” that seeks to maintain internal unity in the face of an issue that has generated diverse opinions within its ranks.
The document begins by reaffirming the FA’s commitment to a comprehensive transformation of the Uruguayan social security system. According to the coalition, this need arises from changes in the world of work, the growing demand for guarantees in terms of care and the urgency of countering the effects of the reform implemented by the current government, which they describe as “harmful.”
“Our political force has an unequivocal position regarding the need to move forward with a comprehensive transformation of social security,” the statement said, stressing the existence of an alternative proposal developed by the FA. This proposal, they say, is the result of a “deep exchange” within the organization and is in line with the constitutional framework in force until March 1, 2025.
The Broad Front is betting on the plurality of positions
The FA stresses that its Social Dialogue proposal seeks comprehensive reform, positioning it as a response to the law passed by the current government, rather than as an opposition to the constitutional reform process promoted by various social and political organizations.
The coalition acknowledges the diversity of opinions within its ranks regarding the plebiscite initiative. “From the outset we assumed that there were different opinions on the substantive aspects of the initiative promoted,” the statement admits. Faced with this reality, the FA has opted to implement “freedom of action,” allowing its members to support or not the proposal according to their criteria.
This decision translates into practical aspects, such as allowing the different sectors of the party to decide whether or not to include the plebiscite ballot in the lists that will be distributed in the common campaign spaces. However, the FA calls for prudence, urging its members to avoid attributions of intentions that could generate internal divisions or conflicts with allied social organizations.
“It is essential that when publicly defending the legitimate positions that the Frente Amplio will hold on the plebiscite within the framework of freedom of action, we avoid attributing intentions that put colleagues of the political force or social organizations in opposition to the principles and values that frame our political project,” the document states.
The statement concludes with a call for unity and commitment to the main objective of the FA: to win the October elections and regain control of the national government. “We commit all our efforts, those of the militants, our leadership and the formula, to contribute to the triumph of the Frente Amplio,” the statement states.
This position of the FA reflects an attempt to strike a balance between respecting the diversity of opinions within the most voted political force in Uruguay and maintaining the cohesion necessary to face the next elections.
The “freedom of action” strategy appears to be the party’s response to a complex issue that has generated debate not only in Uruguayan society in general, but also within the ranks of the opposition itself.
