The Christian Democratic Party of Uruguay () is an Uruguayan political party. The party adheres to Christian democracy and social liberalism, and sits on the centre-left of the left-right political spectrum.

History

The party was established in 1911 as the Civic Union, having developed out of the Catholic Party that contested the 1910 elections. In February 1962 it was renamed the Christian Democratic Party. Another study noted how the Civic Union "always has been concerned with the welfare of rural Uruguay, and has made concrete legislative contributions to the comparatively few sound policies which have been adopted in that field."

Affiliation

It is part of the governing coalition Broad Front (Frente Amplio). It is a part of the Progressive Alliance, which in turn forms part of the Liber Seregni Front uniting the more moderate centre-left and centrist sectors of the Broad Front.

Programme

Its platform calls for "a communitarian society" and a "social state", as well as "absolute respect for human life" (including opposition to abortion). It further calls for "alternative forms of production, distribution, consumption and accumulation" that are "superior to capitalist and state-owned enterprises", including:

  • a social market economy
  • cooperatives
  • self-management or self-governing enterprises (autogestión)
  • ecological economics
  • respect for the commons
  • support for the nonprofit sector

References

  • Official website
  • Las raíces de la democracia cristiana uruguaya by Mario Cayota
  • LA CONSTRUCCION IDELOGICA DE UNA IZQUIERDA CRISTIANA EN URUGUAY by Julio R. Ilha Lopez