MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Candidate Bachelet announces constitutional reform, tax on the rich and more power to unions

The charismatic former Chilean president is favorite to win on 17 November

Chilean former president and opposition coalition New Majority candidate Michelle Bachelet presented her government's program which is based on a review of the constitution, education and tax reforms, legalizing same sex marriage, government managed pension funds and strengthening unions' bargaining power, among other issues.

“Much has been said about the delay of our government program despite the fact we have been advancing some of the reforms we pretend if elected. This is a participative program, not decided behind doors or among friends or chums, and working this way takes time”, said Bachelet who was president from 2006 to 2010 and is favored to repeat next month according to all public opinion polls.

“The program wants to open a historic cycle in our country and we must do it together; we are willing and open to dialogue; to being diverse, inclusive so that no one is left out, or left behind”, added Bachelet who was strongly criticized for presenting the program only three weeks ahead of 17 November Election day.

With the purpose of making the state strong, the Socialist leader who is running in a coalition that also includes Christian democrats and Communists, said “Chile needs a constitution that takes into account the changes of recent decades, which reflects our everyday Chie and establishes a clear relation between the State and citizens”.

Likewise she announced an educational reform “from kinder garden, to high school to university and technical professional institutions which is not motivated by profit and is clearly integrated”.

“Education is a social right and not a consumer good, and if it is a social right: why then should it depend on what one can afford and pay?” pointed out the first woman president of Chile.

According to the tax reform, Bachelet said she would target “those who have more, who will have to pay and contribute more” in such a way that revenue increases three percentage points of GDP, of which 2.5 will be from changes in the fiscal structure and 0.5 through measures to combat elusion and evasion, concluded the most likely next Chilean president.