National Party (Uruguay)

Political party in Uruguay

National Party

Partido Nacional

Leader| Luis Lacalle Pou
President| Macarena Rubio
Founder| Manuel Oribe
Founded| 10 August 1836; 188 years ago (1836-08-10)
Headquarters| Juan Carlos Gómez 1384, Montevideo
Youth wing| Juventud Partido Nacional
Ideology| Liberal conservatism[1]
Christian democracy[2]
Political position| Centre-right[2][3]
National affiliation| Coalición Multicolor
International affiliation| Centrist Democrat International[4]
Regional affiliation| COPPPAL[5]
OCDA[6] (observer)
Colors|  Blue and White
Slogan| La unión nos hará fuerza ("Unity makes strength")
Chamber of Deputies|

30 / 99

Senate|

10 / 30

Intendencias|

15 / 19

Mayors|

87 / 125

Party flag
Website
www.partidonacional.com.uy

* Politics of Uruguay
* Political parties
* Elections

The National Party (Spanish: Partido Nacional, PN) also known as the White Party (Spanish: Partido Blanco), is a major political party in Uruguay. Founded in 1836 by General Manuel Oribe, it is the country's oldest active political party, and along with the Colorado Party, its origin dates back to the establishment of Uruguay as an independent state.

Positioned on the centre-right of the political spectrum, the National Party is ideologically liberal, nationalist, Pan-Americanist and humanist.[7][8] Considering the interim co-government of the Gobierno del Cerrito headed by Manuel Oribe, and the Defense Government from Montevideo led by the Colorado Joaquín Suarez, in the middle of the Uruguayan Civil War, and with the exception of the current administration of Luis Lacalle Pou, the PN has ruled the country for 35 years interruptedly throughout its history.[9] Although Manuel Oribe is recognized as the party's founder, Aparicio Saravia is considered its idealist and main historical caudillo.[10]

The National Party is a defender of decentralization, and its demographic base skews toward people living in rural areas.[11]

## History

[edit]

Shield of the National Party

The identity of the National Party dates back to 10 August 1836, when the then president Manuel Oribe decreed the use of the white banner with the inscription "Defenders of the Laws", in the battle of Carpintería, Oribe faced the revolutionary army of Fructuoso Rivera and colored badges were used to distinguish between the parties.[12] For this reason, the National Party is also known as the "White Party."[13]

On 7 July 1872, the first Program of Principles was approved, in which respect for freedoms, the maintenance of peace as the supreme good for the Nation, the representation of minorities, the decentralization of the country, the strengthening of justice, and the promotio of education and instruction.[12]

In March 2020, National Party's Luis Lacalle Pou was sworn as the new President of Uruguay, meaning Uruguay got the first conservative government after 15 years of left-wing leadership under the Broad Front coalition.[14]

## Ideology and factions

[edit]

Positioned on the center-right of the political spectrum, the Uruguay National Party encompasses both conservative and liberal tendencies.[15] Ideologically, it has been described as liberal, nationalist, Pan-Americanist and humanist.[7] Additionally, in the party there is a lack of internal agreement on social issues such as the legalisation of abortion, euthanasia, the age of criminal responsibility and same-sex marriage.[16] However, over time, several sectors and the party's youth wing have demonstrated a favorable position on LGBT rights.[17]

Throughout its history, the National Party has had a strong base of votes in the interior of the country and support from rural voters, due to its historical policy of decentralization of power, compared to the capital's centralist and unitary policy of the Colorado Party.[18]

The National Party is composed of numerous sectors that encompass different ideologies that range from the center-right to the right-wing. The three main factions are the centrist and Christian democratic National Alliance, the economic liberal and conservative Herrerism, and the social-liberal Wilsonist Current.[19]

## Electoral history

[edit]

### Presidential elections

[edit]

Election | Party candidate  | Running mate | Votes | % | Votes | % | Result

|
|
|
|
|
|
|

First Round | Second Round
Elections under the Ley de Lemas system
1938 |  |  | 114,506  | 32.1%  | —  | —  | Lost N
1942 | Luis Alberto de Herrera | Roberto Berro  | 129,132  | 22.5%  | —  | —  | Lost N
Turena  | Olivera  | 1,384  | 0.2%  | —  | —
| Saraiva  | 667  | 0.1%  | —  | —
al lema  | 52  | 0.0%  | —  | —
Total votes  | 131,235  | 22.8%  | —  | —
1946 | Luis Alberto de Herrera | Martín Echegoyen | 205,923  | 31.7%  | —  | —  | Lost N
Basilio Muñoz  | José Rogelio Fontela  | 1,479  | 0.2%  | —  | —
| Jacinto D. Durán  | 557  | 0.1%  | —  | —
al lema  | 161  | 0.0%  | —  | —
Total votes  | 208,120  | 47.8%  | —  | —
1950 | Luis Alberto de Herrera | Martín Echegoyen | 253,077  | 30.7%  | —  | —  | Lost N
Salvador Estradé  | Emeterio Arrospide  | 1,421  | 0.2%  | —  | —
al lema  | 336  | 0.0%  | —  | —
Total votes  | 254,843  | 30.9%  | —  | —
1966 | Martín Echegoyen | Dardo Ortiz  | 228,309  | 18.5%  | —  | —  | Lost N
Alberto Gallinal Heber  | Zeballos  | 171,618  | 13.9%  | —  | —
Alberto Héber Usher | Nicolás Storace Arrosa  | 96,772  | 7.9%  | —  | —
al lema  | 211  | 0.0%  | —  | —
Total votes  | 496,910  | 40.3%  | —  | —
1971 | Wilson Ferreira Aldunate | Carlos Julio Pereyra  | 439,649  | 26.4%  | —  | —  | Lost N
Mario Aguerrondo  | Alberto Héber Usher | 228,569  | 13.7%  | —  | —
al lema  | 211  | 0.0%  | —  | —
Total votes  | 668,822  | 40.2%  | —  | —
1984 | Alberto Zumarán  | Gonzalo Aguirre | 553,193  | 29.3  | —  | —  | Lost N
Dardo Ortiz  |  | 76,014  | 4.0  | —  | —
Juan Carlos Payssé  | Cristina Maeso  | 21,903  | 1.2  | —  | —
al lema  | 9,657  | 0.5  | —  | —
Total votes  | 660,767  | 35.0%  | —  | —
1989 | Luis Alberto Lacalle |  | 444,839  | 21,63%  | —  | —  | Elected Y
Carlos Julio Pereyra |  | 218,656  | 10,63%  | —  | —  | Lost N
Alberto Zumarán |  | 101,046  | 04,91%  | —  | —
Lema  | 1,449  | 00,07%  | —  | —
Total votes  | 765,990  | 37,25%  | —  | —
1994 | Alberto Volonté |  | 301,655  | 14.9%  | —  | —  | Lost N
Juan Andrés Ramírez |  | 264,255  | 13.0%  | —  | —
Carlos Julio Pereyra |  | 65,650  | 3.2%  | —  | —
Total votes  | 633,384  | 31.2%  | —  | —
Elections under single presidential candidate per party
1999 | Luis Alberto Lacalle |  | 478,980  | 22.3%  | —  | —  | Lost N
2004 | Jorge Larrañaga |  | 764,739  | 34.30%  | —  | —  | Lost N
2009 | Luis Alberto Lacalle | Jorge Larrañaga | 669,942  | 29.07%  | 994,510  | 45.37%  | Lost N
2014 | Luis Lacalle Pou | 732,601  | 30.88%  | 939,074  | 41.17%  | Lost N
2019 | Beatriz Argimón | 696,452  | 29.70%  | 1,189,313  | 50.79%  | Elected Y

#### Note

[edit]

Under the electoral system in place at the time called Ley de Lemas system, each political party could have as many as three presidential candidates. The combined result of the votes for a party's candidates determined which party would control the executive branch, and whichever of the winning party's candidates finished in first place would be declared President this system was used form the 1942 election until the 1994 election until in 1996, a referendum amended the constitution to restrict each party to a single presidential candidate, effective from the 1999 elections.

### Parliamentary elections

[edit]

Election |  | Votes | % | Chamber seats | +/–  | Position  | Senate seats  | +/-  | Position

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

1916 | 68,073  | 46.6%  |

105 / 218

|  105  |  1st  |  |  |
1917 | 29,257  | 22.7%  | Unknown  |  |  3rd  |  |  |
1919 | 71,538  | 38.0%  |

56 / 123

|  |  1st  |  |  |
1922 | 116,080  | 47.1%  |

58 / 123

|  2  |  1st  |  |  |
1925 | 122,530  | 45.1%  |

56 / 123

|  2  |  1st  |  |  |
1928 | 140,940  | 47.1%  |

60 / 123

|  4  |  1st  |  |  |
1931 | 133,625  | 43.2%  |

55 / 123

|  5  |  1st  |  |  |
1933 | 101,419  | 41.1%  |

117 / 284

|  122  |  2nd  |  |  |
1934 | 92,903  | 37.3%  |

39 / 99

|  138  |  2nd  |

15 / 30

|  15  |  2nd
Senate  | 91,585  | 41.4%
1938 | 122,440  | 32.6%  |

29 / 99

|  10  |  2nd  |

15 / 30

|  |  2nd
Senate  | 114,571  | 31.7%
1942 | 199,265  | 34.6%  |

34 / 99

|  5  |  2nd  |

7 / 30

|  8  |  2nd
Senate  | 131,235  | 22.8%
1946 | 271,037  | 40.4%  |

40 / 99

|  6  |  2nd  |

10 / 30

|  3  |  2nd
Senate  | 208,085  | 31.1%
1950 | 254,788  | 30.8%  |

31 / 99

|  9  |  2nd  |

10 / 30

|  |  2nd
Senate  | 254,834  | 30.4%
1954 | 309,818  | 35.2%  |

35 / 99

|  4  |  2nd  |

11 / 31

|  1  |  2nd
1958 | 499,425  | 49.7%  |

51 / 99

|  16  |  1st  |

17 / 31

|  6  |  1st
1962 | 545,029  | 46.5%  |

47 / 99

|  4  |  1st  |

15 / 31

|  2  |  1st
1966 | 496,910  | 40.3%  |

41 / 99

|  6  |  2nd  |

13 / 30

|  2  |  2nd
1971 | 668,822  | 40.2%  |

40 / 99

|  1  |  2nd  |

12 / 30

|  1  |  2nd
1984 | 660,767  | 35.1%  |

35 / 99

|  5  |  2nd  |

11 / 30

|  1  |  2nd
1989 | 765,990  | 37.25%  |

39 / 99

|  4  |  1st  |

12 / 30

|  1  |  1st
1994 | 633,384  | 31.1%  |

31 / 99

|  8  |  2nd  |

10 / 31

|  2  |  2nd
1999 | 478,980  | 22.3%  |

22 / 99

|  9  |  3rd  |

7 / 30

|  3  |  3rd
2004 | 764,739  | 34.30%  |

36 / 99

|  14  |  2nd  |

11 / 30

|  4  |  2nd
2009 | 669,942  | 29.07%  |

30 / 99

|  6  |  2nd  |

9 / 30

|  2  |  2nd
2014 | 732,601  | 30.88%  |

32 / 99

|  2  |  2nd  |

10 / 30

|  1  |  2nd
2019 | 696,452  | 29.70%  |

30 / 99

|  2  |  2nd  |

10 / 30

|  |  2nd

### National Council of Administration and National Council of Government elections

[edit]

Election | Votes | % | Council seats | +/-  | Position

|
|
|
|
|

1925 | 119,255  | 49.3%  | Unknown  |  |  1st
1926 | 139,959  | 48.4%  | Unknown  |  |  1st
1928 | 141,055  | 48.2%  | Unknown  |  |  2nd
1930 | 149,339  | 47.2%  | Unknown  |  |  2nd
1932 | 41,908  | 26.1%  | Unknown  |  |  2nd
Abolished in 1933 re-established as National Council of Government
1954 | 309,818  | 35.2%  |

3 / 9

|  3  | 2nd
1958 | 499,425  | 49.7%  |

6 / 9

|  3  |  1st
1962 | 545,029  | 46.5%  |

6 / 9

|  |  1st
National Council abolished in 1966, presidential system reestablished

#### Note

[edit]

The National Council of Administration ruling alongside the President of the Republic between 1918 and 1933 and it was re-established as National Council of Government was the ruling body in Uruguay between 1952 and 1967.[citation needed]

## See also

[edit]

* Ideas and legacy of Luis Alberto de Herrera
* House Museum of Luis Alberto de Herrera
* Ruralism (Uruguay)
* Battle of Carpintería

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Martínez, Magdalena (25 November 2019). "Luis Lacalle Pou, el peso de un apellido". El País (in Spanish). ISSN 1134-6582. Retrieved 27 February 2020.
2. ^ a b "Declaración de Princípios del Partido Nacional". Retrieved 15 March 2015.
3. ^ "Uruguay: El presidente Lacalle Pou y su partido, fortalecidos tras las elecciones locales". 28 September 2020.
4. ^ "Parties".
5. ^ "Países y Partidos Miembros de la COPPPAL".
6. ^ "Partidos | ODCA.cl".
7. ^ a b "Nuestro Partido > Declaración de Principios". 6 January 2012. Archived from the original on 6 January 2012. Retrieved 8 December 2021.
8. ^ "El centroderecha acaricia el poder en Uruguay". ELMUNDO (in Spanish). 25 November 2019. Retrieved 8 December 2021.
9. ^ Observador, El. "El misterio de los blancos". El Observador. Retrieved 8 December 2021.
10. ^ "Aparicio Saravia". www.partidonacional.org.uy (in European Spanish). Retrieved 8 December 2021.
11. ^ ElPais (2 August 2019). "Triunfo del Partido Nacional: después de 93 años volvió al poder". Diario EL PAIS Uruguay (in Spanish). Retrieved 5 March 2022.
12. ^ a b "Identidad e historia del Partido Nacional: para construir futuro, recordar quiénes somos y de dónde venimos" (PDF).[dead link]
13. ^ "Portal FACTUM | Uruguay". portal.factum.uy. Retrieved 8 December 2021.
14. ^ "Uruguay ushers in first conservative government in 15 years".
15. ^ Serna, Miguel (29 December 2020). "La ola conservadora en Uruguay: claves de la derrota electoral de la izquierda en 2019". Cahiers des Amériques latines (in Spanish). 1 (94): 229–252. doi:10.4000/cal.11685. ISSN 1141-7161.
16. ^ "No al matrimonio homosexual y sí a la unión concubinaria" [No to same-sex marriage and yes to concubinal union]. Diario El País (in Spanish). Montevideo. 25 March 2009. Archived from the original on 25 March 2009. Retrieved 7 April 2024.
17. ^ "Debate interno en el Partido Nacional por despliegue de banderas de la diversidad en sede" [Internal debate in the National Party over the display of rainbow flags at its headquarters.]. Diario El País (in Spanish). 6 October 2020. Retrieved 7 April 2024.
18. ^ Supervielle, Daniel (17 February 2024). "Tras el renacer de los colorados". El Observador. Retrieved 7 April 2024.
19. ^ Silva, Joaquín (23 May 2023). "Wilsonismo y Herrerismo, la discusión por las etiquetas que divide las aguas en el Partido Nacional". Diario El País. Retrieved 7 April 2024.

## External links

[edit]

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