MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Former president scathing criticism to Chilean party politics

Former president Eduardo Frei

Former Chilean president Eduardo Frei surprised his fellow Christian Democrats during a weekend meeting of leaders saying that the party to eyes of the public opinion has become associated with “corruption, patronizing and government spoiling”.

According to the Chilean press when members of the party's ruling board were expecting Mr. Frei to attack the current Finance minister Andres Velasco for the poor showing of the Chilean economy, higher unemployment and higher inflation, he opted for an astounding self criticism. However he did call for a party unity and a rebuilding links with public opinion and the long tradition of Christian Democrats as one of the leading political forces of the country. Since the return of democracy in 1990, Chile has been ruled by the "Concertacion" a grouping of parties which has as its main supports the Socialists and Christian Democrats. During the first two periods Mr. Frei and his party were senior partners of the ruling coalition but since 2000 (under Ricardo Lagos and Michelle Bachelet) they have been relegated to junior members behind the Socialists. "I'm determined not to participate in any groups' dispute or poke any conflict. I've never done this in my whole party life, as militant, as member of Congress, as secretary general of the party, as President of the Republic, I've always had the same attitude", underlined Frei. The former president and currently Senator said he had always worked for all groups and factions in the party "but I now consider these factions responsible for the internal problems we're having, the lack of trust among us, and what is even worse the loss of support from the man in the street, for the same reason". As a junior member of the ruling coalition some displeased factions of the Christian Democrats have crossed lines and formed an independent group which threatens the future of the coalition, the coming mid term elections, has weakened President Michelle Bachelet administration and rendered the presidencies of the Lower House and Senate to the opposition for the first time since 1990. "Chileans have the perception that we are disunited, divided. Chileans perceive us as somehow linked to irregularities and that corruption has reached us. They associate us with corruption, patronizing and government spoiling. That we are absent form the issues that concern the country". Frei said that to change the perception "we must re-conquer the trust of Chileans by again becoming a moral force". That is the 80 year history of the Christian Democrats in Chile and that is "what great historical leaders such as Frei (Sr) and Tomic are demanding from us". "Implacable with corruption, serving the people not us, an end to allotment of jobs, looking for the best and talented, for the most honest and for those who work harder", blasted Frei.