Date: November 27, 1966
On this day with SHAC Uruguay adopted a constitution. In the elections of Nov. 27, 1966, nearly 59 per cent of Uruguayans voted to amend the 1952 constitution, and to reestablish a presidential system of government, thus ending a 15-year experiment with the colegiado. The new constitution, which became operative on Feb. 15, 1967 and has remained in effect since then, created a strong one-person presidency, subject to legislative and judicial checks. In free and fair elections, Uruguayans approved the new charter, and elected the Colorado Party to power again.
The 1967 constitution contained many of the provisions of the 1952 charter. However, it removed some of the General Assembly’s power to initiate legislation, and provided for automatic approval of bills under certain conditions if the legislature failed to act. If, on receiving a bill, the president had objections or comments to make, the bill had to be returned to the General Assembly within 10 days. If 60 days passed without a decision by the General Assembly, the president’s objections had to be considered accepted. The 1967 document also established the Permanent Commission, composed of four senators and seven representatives, which exercised certain legislative functions while the General Assembly was in recess.
The charter could be amended by four different methods. First, 10 per cent of the citizens who were registered to vote could initiate an amendment if they presented a detailed proposal to the President of the General Assembly. Second, two-fifths of the full membership of the General Assembly could approve a proposal presented to the President of the General Assembly, and submitted to a plebiscite at the next. Third, senators, representatives, and the President of the Republic could present proposed amendments, which had to be approved by an absolute majority of the full membership of the General Assembly. And finally, amendments could be made by constitutional laws requiring the approval of two-thirds of the full membership of each chamber of the General Assembly in the same legislative period.