Political earthquake in Chile

Officials close the polls and begin counting votes at the close of local and constituent elections in Santiago de Chile.

Chile this Sunday held elections of transcendental importance to form the Constituent Convention, the assembly in charge of preparing a new Constitution to replace the one promulgated in 1980 under the dictatorship of Augusto Pinochet (1973-1990). Despite the reforms implemented since the return of democracy in 1990, the text forged during the regime was certainly not the most adequate to respond to the current challenges and the wishes - especially in terms of social justice - of much of the population. Chilean society. The institutional channeling of discomfort and desire for change must be celebrated.

In what is a true political earthquake, voters have elected an assembly of 155 components in which the traditional parties will have a clearly weak situation. The ballot boxes have harshly punished the leading formations since the restoration of democracy. The center-right bloc - currently in government under the presidency of Sebastián Piñera - obtained 23.9% of the votes and 37 representatives. The worst result has been the list of the center-left opposition, with 16.1% of the votes and just 25 seats.

The reverse of this rejection of the traditional parties is the vigor of the independent candidacies: they win 48 seats.

Time will tell if they represent a useful element of oxygenation and stimulation of the system or a factor of dispersion.

Very significant has also been the advance of the left that led the social protests of recent months: with 28 seats, it has been above the traditional center-left.

It has not been his only great triumph.

In the municipal and regional elections that coincided in the voting, the Communist Party has won the mayoralty of Santiago.

Thus, a highly fragmented table is configured.

In itself, it does not have to be bad if the elected representatives have the height of view to understand that it is a mandate to seek balanced consensus between different points of view.

It is necessary to underline the absolute normality that, as has been customary in Chile, has presided over the entire electoral process despite the tension in the streets that has preceded — and forced — the reform process.

It is worth highlighting a participation of only 43%, a fact that should make the members of the Convention reflect on the need to involve a broad base of the electorate in the project.

But the data has to be put in the context of a recent history of turnout to the polls that is not particularly high.

In any case, Chile has set in motion an orderly and transparent mechanism of profound institutional renewal with few precedents in the world.

It is necessary to recognize the maturity and courage of your society to face the path

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