This past March 11, the centre-left Concertación government of President Michelle Bachelet celebrated one year in office. As the country’s first woman to hold the highest elected office, the celebrations were a happy affair by the government and politicians that belong to the ruling coalition.
However, the first year in government has been less than stellar. Social conflicts from the get go; a failure to control the political and legislative agenda; ministerial gaffes; a failure to make appointments to sensitive postings within the State structure; and to date the failed implementation of a new public transit system in Santiago have placed the Bachelet government on the defensive for most of its first year in office.
Problems include inaction by Government ministers and officials. Bachelet aides are extremely sensitive to distance the President from the day-to-day Government front lines in an effort to shield her from criticism. But as Bachelet’s distance grows from the political front lines so does the criticism. Government inaction reflects in its failure to meet its legislative agenda and failure to lead political discourse.
But the Government inaction has more to do with the Bachelet style of leadership. Chile’s presidential system demands a firm nearly authoritarian presidential presence. Bachelet’s, leadership is more inclusive; she seeks to build coalitions based on inclusion and debate. She is not the more expected aggressive presidential leader that barks instructions and quashes dissent within Government ranks and is constantly in the offensive.
Bachelet’s inclusive executive style has played major role in the Government disorder where Government ministers fail to make executive decisions because Bachelet prefers to consult before making a decision. So, ministers have been paralyzed because of Bachelet’s leadership style.
That style has been cannon fodder for the opposition. The right-wing Alianza opposition has attacked the government on its failure to make decisions, calling indecisive, charging the Government is improvises or creates commissions to consult because it fails to make decision.
The opposition’s criticism may have some legs, but not every Government decision is improvised. It has pushed through part of its social agenda, particularly reform to the Labour Law. This year it expects to legislate on reforms to the failed private pension system and reform Education Act.
Despite the opposition criticism, it has failed to present an alternative to the ruling Concertación coalition. The Centre-left coalition has ruled Chile since its return to democracy in 1990. It has won every single election, which reflects more on the oppositions' inability to present a credible inclusive centrist alternative.
The opposition has the tendency to criminalize almost every issue that smells of controversy. Instead of investigating Government wrongdoing, the opposition has prefers to fight political battles in the Courts, where it loses any political immediacy. Those actions tend to show an opposition that is willing to go to court rather than have the legislative bodies investigate potential wrongdoings.
Voters are not paying attention to the political debate, which is good to the ruling Concertación coalition, because voters although may be tired of the Concertación, its governments have always began slow while they solve the problems on the go.
It is that lack of electoral alternative that has turned the ruling Concertación coalition into an arrogant political machine that pays little or no attention to criticism. It is a coalition that pretends it knows best dismissing most criticism on its actions.
Bachelet’s first year in office can be described as disappointing, with much room for improvement and for expectations for President to take a firm control of the Government agenda and assume the leadership role expect of a President.
