Political Rights Regulation by Deferral: Obstacles to External Voting in Uruguay

ABSTRACT Why hasn’t Uruguay enfranchised emigrants yet? This study examines an underresearched case of nonenfranchisement and engages with debates on external voting, diaspora politics, citizenship beyond borders. Building qualitative participatory methods, the analysis unveils obstacles to franchise reform despite significant progress from 2004 2019. Although voting was not enacted legally, emigrants’ rights were debated, formally acknowledged, encouraged. It is lack norm entrepreneurs but cumulative effect indecisive actions that perpetuates a counterproductive dynamic de facto uneven access this right. An unresolved debate simultaneously advances conversations precludes compromises, turning resolution deferral into implicit form regulating political inclusion or exclusion. Presenting original evidence, expands existing accounts, highlights interaction between institutional social drivers change, invites further research role policy diffusion, domestic timing.