Significance: Should the trend be confirmed it would reflect a shift back towards radicalism in the MPP leadership. The MPP, part of Uruguay's ruling left-wing coalition, Frente Amplio (FA), is the party of President José Mujica. Marenales, like Mujica, is a former member of Uruguay's radical left-wing guerrilla group, Movimiento de Liberación Nacional guerrilla (MLN, Tupamaros). However, unlike the conciliatory and increasingly moderate Mujica, Marenales is considered much more radical, in particular on economic policy. Although Uruguay's economic performance under two consecutive FA administrations has been impressive, the ruling coalition is increasingly divided over the government's economic policies, with more radical factions calling for the adoption of more progressive measures to ensure a more equal distribution of wealth, potentially at the expense of free market norms. These divisions threaten to split the coalition (though the next general election is not until 2015).
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