Michelle Bachelet won Chile’s presidential election by a landslide, obtaining 62% of the votes against conservative candidate Evelyn Matthei, who won 37% of the votes. Bachelet is promising greater change in her second term, but faces an economy that is slowly falling behind, and opposition from Congress. Many Chilean citizens want to see more money go to fixing problems with income inequality and education, and are pushing for a $15 million spending plan to address those issues.
“The social and political conditions are here and at last the moment has arrived,” Bachelet said. “If I’m here it’s because we believe that a Chile for everyone is necessary. It won’t be easy, but when has it been easy to change the world?”
One of the first changes she is likely to make is a tax increase, but she may not have enough support to pass amendments to Chile’s constitution just yet. Kenneth Bunker, a political scientist, commented: “She’ll achieve some things: The tax reform is in her pocket. … I think student leaders who have been elected to Congress will sign off on educational reform. Bachelet’s expectations are high, but things will be achieved.”
Political scientist at New York University Patricio Navia added: “Her biggest challenge will be to match expectations with reality. She campaigned that the country was going to continue growing at 6 percent a year and it’s barely going to grow at 3 percent a year. The expectations are much higher than what she’ll be able to deliver.”
