Chile’s political landscape has been plunged into turmoil following the introduction of controversial legislation that opponents claim threatens the nation’s democratic foundations. The proposed bill, put forward by independent lawmaker Gaspar Rivas—a former member of the conservative People’s Party—would grant the president unprecedented authority to dissolve Parliament under specific circumstances.
The legislation stipulates that if Parliament either rejects a presidential message or introduces modifications that substantially alter its core intent, the president would obtain the power to dissolve the legislative body. Following such dissolution, the president would be authorized to govern exclusively by decree with the force of law for a period of up to six months, effectively bypassing traditional legislative oversight.
This proposal has triggered immediate and widespread condemnation across Chile’s political spectrum. Legislator Lorena Fries of the left-leaning Broad Front (Frente Amplio-FA) characterized the initiative as marking ‘the beginning of the erosion of democracy and the Rule of Law,’ warning that it opens ‘a dangerous path’ by undermining essential checks and balances between governmental branches.
Fries emphasized that the proposal fundamentally disrupts one of the foundational pillars of Chile’s political system—the existence of three independent branches of government with mutual controls. Her concerns were echoed by fellow FA lawmaker Emilia Schneider, who declared the initiative ‘extremely serious’ and cautioned that its approval ‘would imply a great deterioration for democracy’ that Chile neither needs nor deserves.
The legislation has generated unusual unity in opposition, drawing criticism from political parties representing diverse ideological positions who share concerns about the potential concentration of executive power and the erosion of democratic safeguards.