Outgoing president's party leads Uruguay contest
Outgoing president's party leads Uruguay contest
By LEONARDO HABERKORN, Associated Press | October 24, 2014 | Updated: October 24, 2014 11:30pm
MONTEVIDEO, Uruguay (AP) — The political party of outgoing President Jose Mujica, who gained international notice for social reforms such as legalization of marijuana and gay marriage, leads going into Sunday's election to replace him but victory is far from assured.
Polls suggest that neither of the parties of the top two presidential candidates — Mujica's left-leaning Broad Front and the center-right National Party — will obtain the 50 percent needed to avoid a second round Nov. 30.
The Broad Front, a coalition of center-leftists, communists and former guerrilla leaders, had 44 percent support of voters going into the election, according to a survey of 2,008 voters taken Oct. 4-19 by Uruguayan pollster Factum. Voters will cast ballots for president and lawmakers at the same time, which means the Broad Front could also lose its legislative majority.
The National Party was second at 32 percent, while support for the right-wing Colorado party was 15 percent. The survey had a margin of error of plus or minus two percentage points.
More:
http://www.chron.com/news/world/article/Outgoing-president-s-party-leads-Uruguay-contest-5846782.php
