Thread by @shaunjlawson

9 days from now, I have my first experience of Uruguayan democracy. Sounds exciting, huh?

Well, not really. Because however much I'm full of praise for most aspects of democracy here, the one on Sunday week is BIZARRE. And most Uruguayans unquestionably think likewise on that.

Voting is compulsory here. People are fined if they don't. The consequence at general and local elections is that parties cannot afford to ignore any group.

In the UK, the old vote much more than the young, so they are prioritised. The system here ensures everyone has a stake.

That's all fine. Uruguayans are proud of their democracy - ranked as among the top six in the world - and Freedom House rank this country as the joint sixth most free on the planet.

But there's a catch. Because not all elections here are general or local elections.

A few weeks ago, there were university elections - in which every single student or graduate of the public university (which most students go to) had to vote. On a Wednesday. With polling stations closing quite early in the evening.

Not voting meant a fine and for students, the suspension of their course!

In some university departments, there was only one option to vote for.

In some polling stations, there were 2-hour long queues on a working day, for an election 99% of voters knew nothing about.

By which I mean: nobody knew anything about the candidates/lists, but were required to vote regardless.

On Sunday week, it's the BPS elections. The Banco Prevision Social are responsible for social security here: all workers pay in every month.

Yet it's not independent of government. If the government passes tax, social security or pension changes through Parliament, the BPS must act accordingly.

So quite *why* we all have to vote for the directors of the BPS is beyond me. And pretty much everyone else.

I have never come across an election in my life - least of all, an obligatory one under pain of financial penalty - where LITERALLY NOBODY KNOWS ANYTHING ABOUT THE CANDIDATES.

But that's the case here. There's no information, no publicity, no campaigning, and no public knowledge

As far as I can see, the only reason this and the university elections are compulsory is because the organisations in question know that if they weren't, nobody would vote except candiates' families and friends.

That's not an exaggeration. It's perverse.

Just as perverse is Parliament's continued failure to stop these elections being compulsory. Perhaps that'll happen over the next few years; perhaps it won't.

I'll do my best to inform myself on who I'll be voting for. But good lord, it's nuts.

In some cases, business owners even have to vote in MORE THAN ONE polling station! I couldn't think of a more fun way for them to spend their Sunday.

I love this country. But certain aspects of it are like the creation of someone's sick sense of humour.

UruWHY? ¯_(ツ)_/¯.