MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Chilean ruling coalition cringes and leaders call for unity

Leaders from the Chilean coalition that has ruled since the return of democracy in 1990 warned that a setback in the coming municipal elections of next October could clear the way for a possible conservative victory in the 2009 presidential election.

Former president Patricio Aylwin warned that if the junior members of the ruling coalition split and present their own local candidates "it's evident there's a serious electoral risk exists". Aylwin together with former presidents Ricardo Lagos and Eduardo Frei met with President Michelle Bachelet in a mini party summit to discuss the issue, which has become a major concern for the Socialists (Lagos and Bachelet) and the Christian Democrats (Frei and Aylwin), senior partners of the coalition that have alternated in Government House. "It's a split that can become a serious rift in the near future and hopefully it's not the end of Concertacion as has been forecasted by political analysts and the sensationalist press", added Aylwin who insisted that candidates for the different posts must be consensual and respond to unity to ensure victory. "We need to find a formula which satisfies the legitimate expectations of each coalition partner but fundamentally retaining the unity of Concertación and this naturally means an only slate of candidates", added Aylwin. "We must avoid intransigent positions that could scuttle the Concertación coalition". Former president Lagos said that the block's cohesion has given Chile the "guarantee of governance" for the last twenty years and "we must preserve this asset". Former president Frei was blunter admitting "we've lost our direction" and it's imperative that the unity of Concertación is ensured by "appealing to all four parties, their leaders and their executive boards". However Mr. Frei admitted there are economic issues which are splitting the coalition, one of them the price of fuel and food which is not an impediment "for us to squabble publicly about areas of influence, posts, quotas, which is contrary to the Concertacion spirit. We didn't unite for this, or were trusted with four administrations by the electorate to give such a show". Regarding growing criticisms to President Bachelet for her apparent lack of leadership and poor micro economic performance in spite of record copper prices, Frei said that "is up to whoever is saying so. It's his problem". Ms Bachelet's personal standing has been eroding since taking office and the coalition has lost control of both houses of Congress following on a serious split among Christian Democrats.