MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency
Chilean presidential election is between “Michelle Bachelet and I” says Evelyn Matthei
Chilean presidential candidate for the ruling party Evelyn Matthei was the target of her competitors’ criticism during a televised debate in which she brushed aside hopefuls’ aspirations arguing that it was obvious that the race was between her and Michelle Bachelet, who did not participate. Read full article
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Disclaimer & comment rulesIs it the first time in history two main candidates running for a presidency of a country are both women? anyone?
Oct 13th, 2013 - 11:07 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Chilean politics have converged so close to the centre that the differences between left and right are quite minor and nowhere near like the extreme swings that can sometimes take place in South America.
Oct 14th, 2013 - 12:26 am - Link - Report abuse 0Bachelet will probably win and will tinker with many things but major changes will more than likely only take place if there is broad support.
Chile's development is heading into a different era now. It is becoming less a developing nation and more a developed nation. For this reason it has to adapt, change and reform so that it continue.
I am all for constitutional and electoral reform if it is needed. However no reform should be used to attempt to entrench one side of politics in power as this can easily backfire by having the opposite result.
I'm also a strong proponent of realistic free education. Education is an investment by society and the state in improving and strengthening wealth and social mobility. Free education should be available to all primary and secondary students without restriction but access to tertiary education should still be restricted by ability, with safeguards, incentives and accessibility protections for those that are deserving but face difficulties in access.
There are plenty of models that Chile could copy - the German, UK or Australian models spring to mind first. The US and Argentinean models are those I would shy away from.
Chile is leading the way in South America. Already others are following.
“Chilean politics have converged so close to the centre that the differences between left and right are quite minor and nowhere near like the extreme swings that can sometimes take place in South America.”
Oct 14th, 2013 - 06:00 am - Link - Report abuse 0Repeat that phrase to yourself a couple of times a day.
Hurts less that way...
;)
There is now a third centrist political force, who in some polls is coming in second after Bachelet displacing my prefered candidate Evelyn Matthei to third place. His name is Franco Parisi. He is a curious mix of free market and social liberalism wrapped up in a populist message. Well “non è troppo male”. Some are predicting he will go to the second round with Bachelet. He is a talented professor and economist with a doctorate from the University of Georgia. He has worked at various Chilean and U.S. universities and has an extensive list of publications.
Oct 14th, 2013 - 11:35 am - Link - Report abuse 0@Anglotino
Oct 14th, 2013 - 12:16 pm - Link - Report abuse 0“Chilean politics have converged so close to the centre that the differences between left and right are quite minor and nowhere near like the extreme swings that can sometimes take place in South America.”
You are absolutely correct.
Parisian does seem to be making a splash. He could indeed go to a second round against Bachelet.
Oct 14th, 2013 - 12:58 pm - Link - Report abuse 0It would be very good for Chilean democracy were an independent to get to a run-off, let alone win.
With campaign advertising just about to start, it will be interesting whether Parisian can gain traction and hence momentum.
Does he have the money to compete with the entrenched parties?
@6
Oct 14th, 2013 - 03:14 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Parisi's campaigning so far has been low budget, so he probably doesn't have a lot of money behind him, but he does have a big grass roots base in the universities and in our first (post-Pinochet) voluntary elections politically motivated students are an asset.
@Condorito
Oct 14th, 2013 - 09:45 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Sorry I missed your reply yesterday when posting. As a country develops its politics converge towards the centre as wild swings to the left and right disrupt the status quo for both sides of politics. The centre of Chilean politics reminds me a little of Australia. Our centre is positively left-wing to politicians from the US and is a bit too far right for those from Europe. So I guess we are the centre between US and Europe. LOL. Chile feels the same.
It's a happy medium that has worked well for us. The electorate won't support swings too far either way. The largest support for an extreme party is the Greens with about 10%. And they are really not that extreme nor are they likely to ever form government.
As for Parisi, I had forgot that voluntary voting was introduced. It will be interesting to see the results.
Newspaper articles can never really communicate the vibe on the streets so I'm not sure how Parisi is being supported. However opinion polls have seen a steady erosion in Bachelet (though still far and away the most supported) and a rise in Parisi's support; seemingly taken from both Bachelet and Matthei.
No matter who wins, the one guarantee is that Chile will be even more developed and morethanlikely richer by the subsequent presidential election than now. There'll be no revolutionary redistribution of wealth, just tinkering.
Parisi seems more knockabout than many presidential candidates and is from outside the 'political ruling' class. Whether this is enough I am unsure.
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