Politics of Itaguay
This article is part of a series on the politics and government of Parinacota |
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The Politics of Parinacota take place within the framework of a unitary presidential constitutional republic in which the President is both head of state and head of government, being elected from a formal and well established multi-party system. Parinacota is known in the region for having a transparent political system, with a high percentage of women participation and stable and pacific transitions between left and right wing governments.
The politics of Parinacota are marked by important political figures during special periods, such as the former president Manuel Balmaceda (early 20th century), Juan Ignacio Recabarren (liberal figure during the 50s and 60s), María José Montesinos (first female politician in the Parliament, 1906), Jorge Bauer Echenique (civic leader of the 1973 coup) and Ignacio Larraín Hesse (first democratically elected President since the return of the democracy, 1985), among some. The country has a well established multi-party system with traditional parties whose foundations date from the initial life of independent Parinacota, these are the Partido Liberal and the Partido Popular; however, since the return of the democracy, left-wing parties have gained attention being Compromiso por Parinacota the largest coalition of parties, winning in all elections between 1985 and 2004 and later in 2019. Right wing parties, on the other side, have led Parinacota during 15 years between 2006 and 2019 but with a centre-right and even centre-centre approach under the coalition Por Parinacota with Partido Popular, Partido Liberal, Ciudadanos and Evolución Política.
The executive power in Parinacota is excercised by the government of Parinacota, which is composed by the President of Parinacota and his or her Ministers; the Vice President of the Republic acts as the president of the Parliament of Parinacota and while in absence of the President, he holds the office leaving the first member of the parliament of the most voted governing party as president of the Parliament. The legislative power is vested on a unicameral legislature, whose seat is in Providencia; members of the Parliament are elected by universal suffrage during presidential elections for the same term of five years as the President and Vice President. The Judiciary is commonly called the third power of Parinacota and regarded to as independent of political power or presidential terms or administrations, it has its own budget and is composed of a Supreme Court composed by five members, courts of appeal, justices of the peace and courts of first instance specialised on different matters.
The democratic system of Parinacota is considered a semi-direct democratic system, allowing citizens to oppose laws approved by the Parliament or Executive by referendums, as well as the construction of mixed commissions with political and civilian figures. Changes on the Constitution can also be proposed and taken as priority by parliamentarists with plebiscites that can be arranged by commissions composed entirely by civilians.
Government
The executive power in Parinacota is excercised by the President of Parinacota, who acts as both head of state and head of government and his or her Ministers. Presidents are elected every five years by compulsory universal suffrage and while in their absence, the Vice President will be the holder of the office, otherwise, it is elected to preside the unicameral legislature, the Parliament of Parinacota. Presidents have the right to appoint his or her Ministers and these meet weekly during the Consejo de Ministros, in which policies and guidelines and made by the President while being advised by the 12 holders of ministerial portfolios; while power is equal between the President and the ministers during these instances, the decision-making process finds its base in consensus and dialogue and after an agree on a stance, all members of the Council must defend the posture.
Cabinet
The cabinet forms the government of Parinacota and it is composed by the President and Vice President (only if the first is not in the country or during extraordinary occasions) and the 12 ministers that are appointed directly by the President of Parinacota. The current cabinet of the republic is led by Carolina Ponce de León from the Socialist Party after the 2019 Parinacota Elections, it is a coalition cabinet with members from the Christian Democracy and the Social Democratic Party. ministerial portfolios were assigned following the percentage of votes during the elections, being the first the most voted party (with 7 offices), the CD second (3 offices) and in the end, the SDP (with 2 offices).
Cabinet of Carolina Ponce de León (2019-2023) | |||
Political party | Socialist Party | ||
Christian Democracy | |||
Social Democratic Party | |||
Position | Name | ||
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Presidency of Parinacota | |||
President | Carolina Ponce de León | ||
Vice President | Andrés Larraín | ||
Ministry of Foreign Affairs | |||
Minister of Foreign Affairs | Ana Clara Carrer del Monte | ||
Ministry of Economy and Finances | |||
Minister of Economy and Finances | Ignacio Echevarriarza Illera | ||
Ministry of National Defence | |||
Minister of National Defence | Juan Pablo Brum Duque | ||
Ministry of Education and Culture | |||
Minister of Education and Culture | Martín Vizcarra Sigall | ||
Ministry of Energy, Industry and Mining | |||
Minister of Industry, Mining and Fishing | María Ache Montero | ||
Ministry of Stockbreeding, Agriculture and Fishing | |||
Minister of Stockbreeding, Agriculture and Fishing | Rodrigo Larroulet Vignau | ||
Ministry of Work and Social Security | |||
Minister of Work and Social Security | Azucena Hutt Baer | ||
Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure | |||
Minister of Transport and Infrastructure | Concepción Arbeleche Morel | ||
Ministry of Tourism | |||
Minister of Tourism | Sebastián Montoya Lavín | ||
Ministry of Housing | |||
Minister of Housing | Enrique Büchi Buc | ||
Ministry of Environment and Climatic Action | |||
Minister of Environment and Climatic Action | Emilia Sichel Fontaine | ||
Ministry of Welfare and Social Development | |||
Minister of Welfare and Social Development | Pedro Blumel Mac-Iver |