ABSTRACT
Two patterns have characterized Uruguayan politics: coparticipation and parity. The evolution of the traditional Uruguayan political parties began in 1830 at independence. Minor political parties or lemas have always been a part of Uruguayan politics, although their electoral strength even when combined has rarely been significant. Uruguayan parties evolved with a close relationship to newspapers and journalists. Uruguayan elections customarily have a number of candidates running for the presidency in each of the major lemas; usually they are leaders of the large sub-lemas. Beginning in the 1960s and clearly by the election of 1971, fundamental changes, which established the foundations for contemporary parties, had begun to occur in Uruguayan party politics. Uruguay also remains sensitive to events in other countries, including the economic viability and political stability of its neighbors, Brazil and Argentina. Sub-lemas not only organize the voting in Uruguay, but they also provide the basic organization of the parties themselves.
