Coalition of Parties for Democracy
Encyclopedia
The Concert of Parties for Democracy , more often known as the Concertación, is a coalition of center-left political parties in Chile
, founded in 1988. Presidential candidates under its banner won every election from when military rule ended
in 1990 until the conservative candidate Sebastián Piñera
won the Chilean presidential election in 2010.
, the de-facto President of Chile, legalized political parties and called a plebiscite
to determine whether or not he would remain in power. Several parties, including the Christian Democracy
, the Socialist Party
and the Radical Party
, gathered in the Alianza Democrática (Democratic Alliance). In 1988, several more parties, including the Humanist Party
, the Ecologist Party, the Social Democrats, and several Socialist Party splinter groups added their support, despite fears of election fraud by Pinochet, and the "Concertación de Partidos por el NO" ("Coalition of Parties for NO") was formed in an attempt to overthrow the General.
During the election campaign, the Coalition organized a colorful and cheerful campaign under the slogan "La alegría ya viene" ("Joy is coming"). Some Socialist factions were the last to join, because they were reluctant to work in the plebiscite, fearing election fraud by Pinochet. On October 5, 1988, the "NO" vote won with a 54% majority, and a general election
was called for 1989.
In that year, the coalition changed their name to Concertación de Partidos por la Democracia ("Concert of Parties for Democracy") and put forward Patricio Aylwin
, the Christian Democrat leader, as a presidential candidate, as well as launching a common list for the parliamentary elections. In elections the following year, Aylwin won and the coalition gained the majority of votes in the Chamber of Deputies. However, due to the binomial system, they had no majority in the Senate, a situation they found themselves in constantly for over 15 years. This forced them to negotiate all law projects with the right-wing parties, the Unión Demócrata Independiente
(UDI) and Renovación Nacional
(RN) (later coalesced into the Alliance for Chile
).
In 1993, the coalition put forward the Christian Democrat senator
Eduardo Frei Ruiz-Tagle
as a presidential candidate. Frei was the son of Eduardo Frei Montalva
, the founder of the Christian Democrat Party and himself a former President of Chile (1964-1970). Gaining 57% of the votes, he defeated to the right-wing candidate, Arturo Alessandri Besa
, becoming the third Christian Democrat president, and the second Coalition president.
In the same year, the Humanist Party, the Christian Left, and the Greens left the Coalition, accusing it of betraying the purpose for which it was born. The Social Democrat Party and the Radical Party joined together to form the Social Democrat Radical Party
, while the various former Socialist factions became part of the Socialist Party.
Frei's government faced two main problems: an economic crisis was raising the unemployment rate, and General Pinochet had been arrested in London. Both situations led the Coalition to fear defeat in the 1999 presidential elections.
In that year, the coalition had two possible candidates: the Christian Democrats' Andrés Zaldívar
and the Socialists' Ricardo Lagos
. Primary election
s were held to decide between the two. Lagos won the vote, and went on to defeat the UDI's Joaquín Lavín
in the presidential election. However, since he got a plurality as opposed to a majority
of the votes, a runoff vote
was held, the first in Chilean history, in which Lagos won with 51% of the votes.
In 2005, two candidates were again proposed: the Christian Democrats' Soledad Alvear
, a former Minister of Foreign Affairs, and the Socialists' Michelle Bachelet
, a former Minister of Defense
. As before, the situation was to be resolved through a primary election. However, in May 2005, after months of internal disputes regarding her party's directives, Alvear withdrew from the presidential race, deciding instead to run for senator in Santiago
. Bachelet therefore became the Coalition's candidate, and the second woman to run for Chilean President (the first being Communist
leader Gladys Marín
), competing with the UDI's Joaquín Lavín
and RN's Sebastián Piñera
.
On December 11, 2005, Bachelet won with 45% of the votes, but was forced to compete with Piñera in a runoff election. In the same month, the coalition won 51.25% of the votes in the parliamentary elections, gaining 20 seats in the Senate and 65 seats in the Chamber of Deputies. This gave them, for the first time, a majority in both Houses, even with the binomial system working.
On January 15, 2006, the runoff was held. Bachelet won with nearly the 54% of the votes, becoming the first female president of Chile. She was also the fourth Coalition candidate and third Socialist to win.
while others claim it to have done things poorly when it comes to reform in the system and dealing with national problems such as: the Mapuche
territorial claims, border limits dispute with its neighboring countries, health care system
, educational system, and many other things since the end of the military regime
in 1990
. Aswell as other matters, it's currently been critizised by the majority of the population for the large support of HidroAysén.
Chile
Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
, founded in 1988. Presidential candidates under its banner won every election from when military rule ended
Chilean transition to democracy
The Chilean transition to democracy began when a Constitution establishing a transition itinerary was approved in a plebiscite. From March 11, 1981 to March 11, 1990, several organic constitutional laws were approved leading to the final restoration of democracy...
in 1990 until the conservative candidate Sebastián Piñera
Sebastián Piñera
Miguel Juan Sebastián Piñera Echenique is a Chilean businessman and politician. He was elected President of Chile in January 2010, taking office in March 2010.- Education :...
won the Chilean presidential election in 2010.
History
In 1987 General Augusto PinochetAugusto Pinochet
Augusto José Ramón Pinochet Ugarte, more commonly known as Augusto Pinochet , was a Chilean army general and dictator who assumed power in a coup d'état on 11 September 1973...
, the de-facto President of Chile, legalized political parties and called a plebiscite
Referendum
A referendum is a direct vote in which an entire electorate is asked to either accept or reject a particular proposal. This may result in the adoption of a new constitution, a constitutional amendment, a law, the recall of an elected official or simply a specific government policy. It is a form of...
to determine whether or not he would remain in power. Several parties, including the Christian Democracy
Christian Democrat Party of Chile
The Christian Democratic Party is a political party in Chile and governs as part of the Coalition of Parties for Democracy coalition. In the 2009 election it won 19 congress seats and 9 senate seats....
, the Socialist Party
Socialist Party of Chile
The Socialist Party of Chile is a political party, that is part of the center-left Coalition of Parties for Democracy coalition. Its historical leader was the late President of Chile Salvador Allende Gossens, who was deposed by General Pinochet in 1973...
and the Radical Party
Social Democrat Radical Party
The Social Democratic Radical Party is a social democratic party in Chile.The party is a member of Socialist International....
, gathered in the Alianza Democrática (Democratic Alliance). In 1988, several more parties, including the Humanist Party
Humanist Party (Chile)
The Humanist Party is a progressive left-wing political party in Chile, founded in 1984.In December 1990, Laura Rodríguez became the first elected representative of any Humanist Party in the world after winning a seat as part of the Concertación coalition, after Augusto Pinochet handed over...
, the Ecologist Party, the Social Democrats, and several Socialist Party splinter groups added their support, despite fears of election fraud by Pinochet, and the "Concertación de Partidos por el NO" ("Coalition of Parties for NO") was formed in an attempt to overthrow the General.
During the election campaign, the Coalition organized a colorful and cheerful campaign under the slogan "La alegría ya viene" ("Joy is coming"). Some Socialist factions were the last to join, because they were reluctant to work in the plebiscite, fearing election fraud by Pinochet. On October 5, 1988, the "NO" vote won with a 54% majority, and a general election
General election
In a parliamentary political system, a general election is an election in which all or most members of a given political body are chosen. The term is usually used to refer to elections held for a nation's primary legislative body, as distinguished from by-elections and local elections.The term...
was called for 1989.
In that year, the coalition changed their name to Concertación de Partidos por la Democracia ("Concert of Parties for Democracy") and put forward Patricio Aylwin
Patricio Aylwin
Patricio Aylwin Azócar was the first president of Chile after its return to democratic rule in 1990, following the military dictatorship of General Augusto Pinochet.- Early life :...
, the Christian Democrat leader, as a presidential candidate, as well as launching a common list for the parliamentary elections. In elections the following year, Aylwin won and the coalition gained the majority of votes in the Chamber of Deputies. However, due to the binomial system, they had no majority in the Senate, a situation they found themselves in constantly for over 15 years. This forced them to negotiate all law projects with the right-wing parties, the Unión Demócrata Independiente
Independent Democrat Union
The Independent Democrat Union is a Chilean right-wing, conservative political party, founded in 1983. Its main inspirer was the lawyer, politician and law professor Jaime Guzmán, a former senator of the Republic of Chile from 1990 until his assassination on April 1, 1991.Its ideological origins...
(UDI) and Renovación Nacional
National Renewal (Chile)
National Renewal , is a liberal conservative political party belonging to the Chilean right-wing political coalition Coalition for Change in conjunction with the Independent Democratic Union and the Chile First movement...
(RN) (later coalesced into the Alliance for Chile
Alliance for Chile
The Alliance for Chile , also known simply as The Alliance , was a coalition of right-wing Chilean political parties.The Alliance was replaced in 2009 by the Coalition for Change....
).
In 1993, the coalition put forward the Christian Democrat senator
Senate of Chile
The Senate of the Republic of Chile is the upper house of Chile's bicameral National Congress, as established in the current Constitution of Chile.-Composition:...
Eduardo Frei Ruiz-Tagle
Eduardo Frei Ruiz-Tagle
Eduardo Alfredo Juan Bernardo Frei Ruiz-Tagle is a Chilean politician and civil engineer who was President of Chile from 1994 to 2000. He is currently Senator for Los Ríos and was President of the Senate from 2006 to 2008. He attempted a comeback as the candidate of the ruling Concertación...
as a presidential candidate. Frei was the son of Eduardo Frei Montalva
Eduardo Frei Montalva
Eduardo Frei Montalva was a Chilean political leader of world stature. In his long political career, he was Minister of Public Works, president of his Christian Democratic Party, senator, President of the Senate, and president of Chile from 1964 to 1970...
, the founder of the Christian Democrat Party and himself a former President of Chile (1964-1970). Gaining 57% of the votes, he defeated to the right-wing candidate, Arturo Alessandri Besa
Arturo Alessandri Besa
Arturo Alessandri Besa is a Chilean lawyer and politician. Alessandri was member of his country's Chamber of Deputies and also of the National Congress; he also was candidate for the presidency of Chile in the 1993 elections....
, becoming the third Christian Democrat president, and the second Coalition president.
In the same year, the Humanist Party, the Christian Left, and the Greens left the Coalition, accusing it of betraying the purpose for which it was born. The Social Democrat Party and the Radical Party joined together to form the Social Democrat Radical Party
Social Democrat Radical Party
The Social Democratic Radical Party is a social democratic party in Chile.The party is a member of Socialist International....
, while the various former Socialist factions became part of the Socialist Party.
Frei's government faced two main problems: an economic crisis was raising the unemployment rate, and General Pinochet had been arrested in London. Both situations led the Coalition to fear defeat in the 1999 presidential elections.
In that year, the coalition had two possible candidates: the Christian Democrats' Andrés Zaldívar
Andrés Zaldívar
José Andrés Rafael Zaldívar Larraín, popularly known as El Chico Zaldívar , is a prominent Chilean Christian Democrat politician. Andrés Zaldívar is of Basque descent.-Early years:...
and the Socialists' Ricardo Lagos
Ricardo Lagos
Ricardo Froilán Lagos Escobar is a lawyer, economist and social democrat politician, who served as president of Chile from 2000 to 2006. He won the 1999-2000 presidential election by a narrow margin in a runoff over Independent Democrat Union candidate Joaquín Lavín...
. Primary election
Primary election
A primary election is an election in which party members or voters select candidates for a subsequent election. Primary elections are one means by which a political party nominates candidates for the next general election....
s were held to decide between the two. Lagos won the vote, and went on to defeat the UDI's Joaquín Lavín
Joaquín Lavín
Joaquín José Lavín Infante is a Chilean politician and economist. He is a member of the Independent Democrat Union party and former mayor of Santiago and Las Condes municipalities of capital Santiago...
in the presidential election. However, since he got a plurality as opposed to a majority
Majority
A majority is a subset of a group consisting of more than half of its members. This can be compared to a plurality, which is a subset larger than any other subset; i.e. a plurality is not necessarily a majority as the largest subset may consist of less than half the group's population...
of the votes, a runoff vote
Two-round system
The two-round system is a voting system used to elect a single winner where the voter casts a single vote for their chosen candidate...
was held, the first in Chilean history, in which Lagos won with 51% of the votes.
In 2005, two candidates were again proposed: the Christian Democrats' Soledad Alvear
Soledad Alvear
María Soledad Alvear Valenzuela , is a Chilean lawyer and Christian Democrat politician, who was a cabinet member of the Aylwin, Frei and Lagos administrations. She was president of the Christian Democrat Party from 2006-2008...
, a former Minister of Foreign Affairs, and the Socialists' Michelle Bachelet
Michelle Bachelet
Verónica Michelle Bachelet Jeria is a Social Democrat politician who was President of Chile from 11 March 2006 to 11 March 2010. She was the first woman president of her country...
, a former Minister of Defense
Defence minister
A defence minister is a person in a cabinet position in charge of a Ministry of Defence, which regulates the armed forces in some sovereign nations...
. As before, the situation was to be resolved through a primary election. However, in May 2005, after months of internal disputes regarding her party's directives, Alvear withdrew from the presidential race, deciding instead to run for senator in Santiago
Santiago, Chile
Santiago , also known as Santiago de Chile, is the capital and largest city of Chile, and the center of its largest conurbation . It is located in the country's central valley, at an elevation of above mean sea level...
. Bachelet therefore became the Coalition's candidate, and the second woman to run for Chilean President (the first being Communist
Communism
Communism is a social, political and economic ideology that aims at the establishment of a classless, moneyless, revolutionary and stateless socialist society structured upon common ownership of the means of production...
leader Gladys Marín
Gladys Marín
Gladys del Carmen Marín Millie was a Chilean activist and political figure. She was Secretary-General of the Communist Party of Chile and then president of the PCCh until her death...
), competing with the UDI's Joaquín Lavín
Joaquín Lavín
Joaquín José Lavín Infante is a Chilean politician and economist. He is a member of the Independent Democrat Union party and former mayor of Santiago and Las Condes municipalities of capital Santiago...
and RN's Sebastián Piñera
Sebastián Piñera
Miguel Juan Sebastián Piñera Echenique is a Chilean businessman and politician. He was elected President of Chile in January 2010, taking office in March 2010.- Education :...
.
On December 11, 2005, Bachelet won with 45% of the votes, but was forced to compete with Piñera in a runoff election. In the same month, the coalition won 51.25% of the votes in the parliamentary elections, gaining 20 seats in the Senate and 65 seats in the Chamber of Deputies. This gave them, for the first time, a majority in both Houses, even with the binomial system working.
On January 15, 2006, the runoff was held. Bachelet won with nearly the 54% of the votes, becoming the first female president of Chile. She was also the fourth Coalition candidate and third Socialist to win.
Criticism
Some critics claim large similarity with the Coalición por el CambioCoalition for Change
The Coalition for Change is a presidential and parliamentary electoral coalition that groups the supporters of President Sebastián Piñera for the 2009-2010 Chilean election...
while others claim it to have done things poorly when it comes to reform in the system and dealing with national problems such as: the Mapuche
Mapuche
The Mapuche are a group of indigenous inhabitants of south-central Chile and southwestern Argentina. They constitute a wide-ranging ethnicity composed of various groups who shared a common social, religious and economic structure, as well as a common linguistic heritage. Their influence extended...
territorial claims, border limits dispute with its neighboring countries, health care system
Ministry of Health (Chile)
The Ministry of Health of Chile , also known as MINSAL, is the cabinet-level administrative office in charge of planning, directing, coordinating, executing, controlling and informing the public health policies formulated by the President of Chile...
, educational system, and many other things since the end of the military regime
Government Junta of Chile (1973)
Government Junta of Chile was the military junta established to rule Chile during the military dictatorship that followed the overthrow of President Salvador Allende in the 1973 Chilean coup d'état. It was the executive and legislative branch of government until December 17, 1974...
in 1990
Chilean transition to democracy
The Chilean transition to democracy began when a Constitution establishing a transition itinerary was approved in a plebiscite. From March 11, 1981 to March 11, 1990, several organic constitutional laws were approved leading to the final restoration of democracy...
. Aswell as other matters, it's currently been critizised by the majority of the population for the large support of HidroAysén.
Member parties
- Christian Democrat PartyChristian Democrat Party of ChileThe Christian Democratic Party is a political party in Chile and governs as part of the Coalition of Parties for Democracy coalition. In the 2009 election it won 19 congress seats and 9 senate seats....
(PDC) - Party for DemocracyParty for DemocracyThe Party for Democracy is a political party in Chile; it is social democratic in its political orientation. It was founded in December 1987 by Ricardo Lagos, who aimed at forming a legal social democratic party . The party continued to function after the defeat of Pinochet...
(PPD) - Socialist PartySocialist Party of ChileThe Socialist Party of Chile is a political party, that is part of the center-left Coalition of Parties for Democracy coalition. Its historical leader was the late President of Chile Salvador Allende Gossens, who was deposed by General Pinochet in 1973...
(PS) - Social Democrat Radical PartySocial Democrat Radical PartyThe Social Democratic Radical Party is a social democratic party in Chile.The party is a member of Socialist International....
(PRSD)
Original member parties
- Christian Democrat PartyChristian Democrat Party of ChileThe Christian Democratic Party is a political party in Chile and governs as part of the Coalition of Parties for Democracy coalition. In the 2009 election it won 19 congress seats and 9 senate seats....
- Almeyda Socialist Party
- Historical Socialist Party
- Mandujano Socialist Party
- Briones Socialist Party
- Popular Socialist Union
- Radical PartyRadical Party (Chile)The Radical Party of Chile was a Chilean political party. It was formed in 1863 by a split in the Liberal Party. Not coincidently, it was formed shortly after the organization of the Grand Lodge of Chile, and it has maintained a close relationship with Chilean Freemasonry throughout its life...
merged with Social Democrat Party to form Social Democrat Radical PartySocial Democrat Radical PartyThe Social Democratic Radical Party is a social democratic party in Chile.The party is a member of Socialist International.... - Social Democrat PartyParty of Social Democracy (Chile)The Party of Social Democracy of Chile The Party of Social Democracy of Chile The Party of Social Democracy of Chile (Spanish: Partido Social Democracia de Chile (PSD), until August 1973 Radical Left Party (Partido de Izquierda Radical) was a Chilean political party of centre-left orientation,...
Radical Party to form Social Democrat Radical PartySocial Democrat Radical PartyThe Social Democratic Radical Party is a social democratic party in Chile.The party is a member of Socialist International.... - National Democrat Party
- MAPUPopular Unitary Action MovementThe Popular Unitary Action Movement or MAPU was a small leftist political party in Chile. It was part of the Popular Unity coalition during the government of Salvador Allende. MAPU was repressed during the dictatorship of Augusto Pinochet...
- MAPU Obrero CampesinoMAPU Obrero CampesinoThe MAPU Obrero Campesino was a leftist political party in Chile that was formed after a split of MAPU in March 1973...
- Christian Left
- Humanist PartyHumanist Party (Chile)The Humanist Party is a progressive left-wing political party in Chile, founded in 1984.In December 1990, Laura Rodríguez became the first elected representative of any Humanist Party in the world after winning a seat as part of the Concertación coalition, after Augusto Pinochet handed over...
- Liberal PartyLiberal Party (Chile)The Liberal Party of Chile was a Chilean political party created by a faction of pipiolos in 1849. After the conservative victory in the Chilean Civil War of 1829 the liberals became the principal opposition party to the Conservative Party...
- Party for DemocracyParty for DemocracyThe Party for Democracy is a political party in Chile; it is social democratic in its political orientation. It was founded in December 1987 by Ricardo Lagos, who aimed at forming a legal social democratic party . The party continued to function after the defeat of Pinochet...
- The Greens PartyWorldwide green partiesA Green party or ecologist party is a formally organized political party based on the principles of Green politics. These principles usually include social justice, reliance on grassroots democracy, nonviolence, and an emphasis on environmentalism...