Cross-party agreement unlocks political system reform in Congress

A unanimous agreement in Chile’s joint congressional committee has cleared the way for a political system reform bill that had remained stalled since the beginning of the year.

The National Congress expects to dispatch the bill in September. The initiative, introduced in 2023 by the previous government of Gabriel Boric, became active again after lawmakers resolved the differences between the two chambers.

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It was a decision that we took as co-legislators, both with the Segpres minister and me. We gave this project urgency so it could reach the joint committee, I convened the joint committee, and that is how an understanding was reached in this body.

The agreement followed efforts by Segpres Minister José García Ruminot and Senate President Paulina Núñez to move the legislation forward. Núñez said the decision was taken jointly by the legislators and the minister, who gave the bill urgency so it could reach the joint committee.

“Because this week’s agenda has already been set, when we return from regional week we will put this bill on the agenda,” Núñez said. She expressed hope that the proposal, which modifies the Organic Constitutional Law on Political Parties, would also help move the reform through Congress.

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Because this week's agenda has already been set, when we return from regional week we will put this bill on the agenda. I hope that this project, which concerns a modification to the Organic Constitutional Law on Political Parties, will also help.