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Weekly Report - 20 May 2021 (WR-21-20)

Chile’s elections produce seismic political change

Chile’s traditional political class was dealt a hammer blow in elections held on 15 and 16 May. The two large coalitions that have monopolised politics in Chile since the end of the dictatorship in 1990, comprising a constellation of parties on the left and right of the spectrum, were eviscerated in the elections to appoint delegates to a constitutional convention tasked with rewriting the constitution drafted under General Augusto Pinochet (1973-1990). The two coalitions managed to muster only 40% of the 155 seats between them. Independents and radical left-wing parties swept the majority of the seats up for grabs. They will not just have the biggest say in reshaping the constitution but could also be in pole position to govern under it as presidential and congressional elections are fast approaching in November.

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