Shifting Stability: Chilean General Elections as an Institutional Reflection of Democratic Traditions

The article provides a detailed analysis of Chile’s party system, which, at its current stage of political development, has fostered the emergence of two broad party coalitions. These coalitions, the left-oriented Apruebo Dignidad and the center-right Chile Vamos, serve as a stable foundation for maintaining democratic institutions and reproducing the country’s top political elite. The article highlights key institutional, historical, and cultural factors that have shaped the modern political design of the Chilean Republic in its post-authoritarian period, ensuring the traditionally established viability of political parties. The study examines the formal-legal characteristics of Chile’s presidential system and electoral process. Within the political power structure, the president plays a central role, possessing broad authority in making key decisions. However, constitutional constraints require the head of the executive branch to engage with parliamentary coalitions to overcome the “double minority” problem, where the president lacks majority support in the National Congress. Party coalition-building is also influenced by the electoral system, under which, even after the 2015 reform, smaller parties continue to face difficulties in independently securing parliamentary seats and are forced to collaborate with larger coalitions. This dynamic is also reflected in presidential elections. A case in point is the victory of Gabriel Boric in 2021: despite his progressive image, he relied on the support of various leftist and center-left forces. The longterm stability of Chile’s party system can be attributed, among other factors, to deeply ingrained traditions of political participation and democratic institutions, which enable the integration of public demands into the political process. However, declining public support for parties and growing protest activity indicate existing challenges. The article concludes that despite the crisis of trust in party structures, the coalition system continues to ensure political stability. To strengthen it, parties must focus on addressing current socio-economic issues, which will be a key factor in restoring public trust and reinforcing Chile’s democratic institutions.

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