Less than a week having passed since President Gabriel Boric’s Public Account, and after the controversy over the announcement about legal abortion, the support of the ruling parties –and the D.C.– showed that they are experiencing greater fragility.
The phenomenon has not gone unnoticed. Various parliamentarians raise it with greater or lesser emphasis: for some it is a diaspora, others warn that loyalty is not obedience. But the concept in the PS, PPD, PL and PC points to disillusionment about Boric’s programmatic promises.
“There is a moment of diaspora within the ruling coalition, since there are different topics, purposes or interests, and not all of them satisfy each sector of the ruling party. It is more necessary than ever that there is a degree of understanding in a conclave or a very high-level meeting, which puts things back in their place regarding the goals, electoral processes and unity in the ruling party. It is necessary after the events that occurred recently that affect different parties and that, clearly, can weaken the political unity of the Government,” he told The counter the socialist senator Juan Luis Castro.
Known by the PS committee, Gaston Saavedrahas a similar vision about the weakening of party support, which may increase towards October.
“We are stressed very hard, first because of the value agenda, which convulses the environment. As the elections approach, everyone is trying to take care of their interests. That also weakens support, but there are issues that cannot be weakened and that have to do with social demands of high public connotation, such as the pension system,” says the senator for Talcahuano, Gastón Saavedra, to The counter.
And he adds: “So, we will have to be careful where the bets are placed, whether they declare themselves pro-government or not, but I think there are many people who do the math by distancing themselves, without considering that there are unsatisfied demands.”
“Loyalty is not obedience”
Both critical reflections arise in a week where the president of the PC, Lautaro Carmonaon the 112th anniversary of his party, shortly after the Public Account, pointed out that the store “will be a contributor to the President’s Government”, especially to comply with the program with a critical sense.
Y –for some citing Laclau; for others to Gramsci– He stated in his anniversary speech: “Because loyalty is not obedience, and communist policy is always maintained”, drawing applause.
Carmona is not the only one with a critical vision. He also had them among his legislators and in the communist bases.
Nathalie Castillo and Marisela Santibáñez.
For the PC representative for Coquimbo and former press union leader, Nathalie Castillothe Public Account is due to the citizens and the aspirations of the presidential mandate are expected to be under the programmatic guidelines that were promised during the campaign, and adds that it is also normal for there to be differences.
“In this sense, the ruling party has the legitimate right to evaluate and express in this regard, whether to consider measures such as the idea of legislating abortion or to disagree in others due to differences or omissions. So it is normal that there are nuances or ideological differences in a plural range such as the Government alliance, the important thing is to have the capacity for unity both to advance in emergencies, which cannot go beyond this Presidency –such as the reform of the pension system and fiscal pact–as to confront the advance of the right and extreme right, which endangers fundamental rights and democracy,” says Deputy Castillo (PC).
His peer, the legislator Carolina Tellowho resigned from the PC to join the Frente Amplio, does not share that there is a fragility in the support for Boric, and specifies that it is normal that in a democratic space and within different parties and political movements there are nuances.
“I feel that it responds more to that (to nuances) than to a weakening of support. At least at an institutional level, I do not see that there is a weakening in the support of the official parties for the Government (…)”, says the ex-communist deputy. But she adds a detail: “At least from the Frente Amplio I don’t perceive that (a weakening of support). In democracy, dialogue in differences enriches political debate.”
“There is disorder in the Government block”
Another source of tension broke out in the Party for Democracy. After 72 hours of the Presidential Message of June 1, the PPD also distanced itself from La Moneda. The PPD-Ind bench of deputies challenged the SQM and Codelco agreement for lithium, and threatened to promote a new withdrawal from the AFP.
“There is disorder in the Government block. We in the PPD see that the deputies feel that Quintana is closer to Tohá than to the party table. And sometimes it seems that he sends us a message from her,” says a source from Valparaíso.
And at the same time, the liberals accused mistreatment, a deficit in management to consider parliamentarians in decisions and that from now on they would vote on each project on its merit. They specified that before the dialogue with the Second Floor was fluid and also with the ministers; while now they only talk with the leader of the socialist Tercerismo and minister of the Segpres, Álvaro Elizalde.
“What we are asking from the PL is greater participation. It is not an issue of positions, it is an issue of political management. When our deputies warn about things and put issues on the table, let the issues be heard, because they are relevant, because we capture the feelings of the population in different provinces where we are. (…) We are sitting on the bench,” says the president of the PL, Juan Carlos Urzúa.
What happened in the three communities was added to what happened with the DC, which is still the subject of comments in the community, regarding the fact that a sensitive project for them was announced without timely notice.