Chilean Communist Party Threatens to Leave Ruling Coalition

Leaders of Chiles’ Communist Party repeated their intention to leave the governing coalition Monday if the Bachelet administration kept “destroying” the reforms.

As President Michelle Bachelet's approval ratings have reached a record low, especially in light of her unpopular education reform, the most left-wing party of her social-democrat coalition criticized her official pragmatic governing style which undermines progressive reforms.

“If the government decided to put an end to the reform at this very moment, we would have to think again out position [inside the coalition],” said the Communist Party President Guillermo Teillier, mentioning the labor reform that considers replacing workers on strike. However, Teillier reportedly made the declarations in the palace's gardens, while showing a total collaboration with the other parties during the meeting itself.

Before the Communist Party, the Broad Social Movementparty also put in doubt its participation in the ruling coalition via Senator Alejandro Navarro, who declared to daily Bio-Bio: “What use do we have of being in a coalition where you have promised and have had the support of the people to carry out the reform, and later abandon them ... We would rather not be in the coalition at all.”

The Christian Democrats – the most conservative of the coalition – also took advantage of Bachelet's increasing position of weakness, stating they will end support for her reform of the country’s abortion ban, another of her electoral promises.

The unity of the ruling coalition will be tested during Bachelet's next meeting with the coalition parties on Aug. 3.