URUGUAY’S left-wing opposition candidate Yamandu Orsi became the country’s new president as he defeated right-wing governing coalition candidate Alvaro Delgado in Sunday’s run-off election.

This is the latest rebuke to an incumbent party in a year of landmark elections worldwide.

With nearly all the votes counted, electoral officials reported that Mr Orsi won 49.8 per cent of the vote, ahead of Mr Delgado’s 45.9 per cent.