Uruguay 2008: From Reforms to Electoral Competition

During 2008, the agenda of reforms that the government of President Vazquez was promoting, virtually expired. Simultaneously, the setting of the electoral competition toward 2009 began to appear. The adjustments to the tax reform, and the educational reform constitute the last prominent government measures in the area of public policies. In that context, the more relevant political events were prominent changes in the composition of the ministerial cabinet and the nomination of the presidential pre-candidacies in the main political parties. Additionally, the fourth year of the leftist government was characterized for a growing conflict between the President and its party, expressed in disagreements in the fields of reproductive health, human rights, and presidential candidacies.