Chile: Traditional Parties to Lose Influence on The Electorate

On May 15 and 16, over 14 million Chileans are called to attend polling stations to elect subnational authorities and 155 representatives who will draft a new Constitution. 

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A study by the Party for Democracy (PPD) lawmaker Pepe Auth forecast a setback for the ruling party Go Chile (CV) as compared to the 2016 regional elections and the consolidation of the Constituent Unity (UC) as an opposition coalition. 

However, both parties would reduce their influence in some population sectors due to the advance of leftist parties such as the Broad Front (FA), the Communist Party (PC), and independents. 

The ruling coalition would again obtain victories in emblematic areas, such as Santiago, La Florida, Puente Alto, Las Condes, and Vitacura. The Socialist Party (PS) would secure at least 25 municipal seats, mostly in Antofagasta, Puerto Montt, San Bernardo, and Rancagua.

Auth highlighted that traditional parties would evidence losses due to the significant number of independent candidacies that went from 316 in 2016 to 568 in this election. 

Surveys indicate that the turnout will be close to that experienced in the plebiscite held in November last year, at over 50 percent of the electoral roll. Criteria poll showed that 64 percent of interviewers expressed interest in voting for constituents.

Next Weekend, Chileans will elect governors for the first time. Besides these posts, they will also vote for mayors, councilmen, and members of the Constituent Convention set to change the Constitution approved in 1980 under Augusto Pinochet's dictatorship (1973-1990).