Even as the vote count continued, Álvaro Delgado, the presidential candidate for the center-right ruling coalition, conceded defeat.

Uruguayans are returning to the polls for a second round of voting to choose their next president. In Sunday's election, the conservative governing party and the left-leaning coalition locked in a close runoff after failing to win an outright majority in last month’s vote.

Uruguay’s leftist opposition candidate, Yamandu Orsi, has became the country’s new President after a tight run-off contest. Mr Orsi’s victory ousts the conservative governing coalition and makes the South American nation the latest to rebuke the incumbent party in a year of landmark elections worldwide.

Uruguay's next president is a former history teacher who swapped the classroom for local government -- and will now lead the nation of 3.4 million following his Sunday win at the polls.

By Lucinda Elliott MONTEVIDEO (Reuters) -Voters in South America's laid-back Uruguay, known for its beaches, legalized marijuana and stability, headed to the polls on Sunday for a second-round presidential race between moderates that closes out a bumper year for global elections.

The presidential candidate of the conservative coalition that has governed Uruguay for the past five years conceded defeat after a tight runoff election, as the South American nation joined others aro

Even as ballots in the closely contested runoff election were still being counted, Álvaro Delgado, the current president’s chief of staff, conceded defeat to his challenger, Yamandú Orsi. “With sadness,