Negative perceptions of Chilean politics: a possible reason for women’s low political representation

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Paula PeredaPhD Candidate

Victoria University of Wellington

2009

a possible reason for women’s low political

representation

Negative perceptions of Chilean politics

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Chile’s first female president, marked a new era in perceptions and representation

of Chilean politics

The 2006 election of Michele Bachelet

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Women in politics

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The study of Women in Politics

Reasons to explain women’s low representation in politics (Flisfisch, 1990; López-Claros & Zahidi, 2005; Macaulay, 1999; Urrejola & Gardella, 2009)

Strategies to increase women’s representation in politics (Bratton, 2005; Haas, 2005; Lovenduski, 2005; Macaulay, 2005; Studlar & McAllister, 2002)

Structural and cultural factor preventing greater women’s representation in politics electoral and political system, political parties,

affirmative actions and gender quotas (Azza, 2002; Gray, 2003; Jones, 2000; Luciak, 2005; Norris & Lovenduski, 1993; Rios & Villar, 2006; Seidman, 1999)

religion, attitudes to democracy, ideology (Brooks, 2003; Paxton & Kunovich, 2003; Phillips, 1991; Smith & Prokopy, 1999)

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The study of politicians´ perceptions of politics

Encompasses both, structural and cultural dimensions preventing further increase of women´s representation in politics.

Allows identifying strategies to women´s representation in politics.

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Chilean politicians’ perceptions

34 Interviews Interviews to female and male Chilean politicians

Senators Deputes Leaders of Political Parties Public Servants Key informants

Interviews carried out in Chile between December 2007 and February 2008

Interviews carried out in Spanish

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Politics

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Political activity

“Politics is a very cruel activity and not given much to beneficence or to charity. In democracy, politics is a tough competition for the support of the citizenry, so I argue that this fight is not a fight for power, but a cultural battle” (…) (G. Duarte, Depute).

“…people in Chile are seeing politics as very contentious (...) today politics is so decadent, it generates high levels of distrust and apathy” (Lily Perez, Depute).

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Political world

“The political world is very tough and arid” (Lily

Perez, Depute). “…the masculine political world lacks

generosity. For instance, from the beginning of Michelle Bachelet’s presidency, politicians, even within her own political party, discounted her ability to lead the country” (Halabi, R, Public Servant).

“There is a lack of pedagogies for empowerment for the political world. The discourse of the family on politics is negative, on the other hand the religious discourse do not call to the political commitment” (R. Halabi, Public Servant)

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Political system

“Our political system is a flat political system, not updated and anachronistic, (…) there is a fracture between political elite and citizenry, and that happens also in the ambit of women. You have a dialogue of no dialogue” (…) (A. Barrios, Public Servant, candidate to Depute).

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Politics disconnected “In politics, little is talked about collective topics,

little is talked about education (…) social issues are losing relevance within politics. In our case, politics has the tremendous challenge of bringing collective issues in the way it does (...). Then, that way of looking at the micro, I think that is something that women can do more easily, I do not think this is unique to women, but I think there is a way of making politics more integrated....” (C. Montes, Depute)

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The questioning of Democracy

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Democracy

“…when democracy arrived, the democratization process in Chile was 40% not 100%. It has cost us year after year to break the existing levels of atomization” (A. Barrios, Public Servant, candidate to Depute).

“The discourse of democratic participation is an absent issue from our authorities (…) There is a huge democratic deficit.” (R. Halabi, Public Servant)

“…There is a lack of belief in a true democracy, then one tends to think that the traditional political world is afraid of more democracy…” (A. Zondek, Public Servant)

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Participation

“….more participation of all is required, more for all, not just for the woman (…) you have to have more participation for all. Wherever you go the issue of participation is a key issue in Chile; political parties complain about more participation, more in the senate, more in the system, more in the parliament, the consumers want more participation in the laws that involve them, the workers want more participation in their unions and in the company... (…) from a general point of view more participation is required, but I do not feel that there is a system to do so” (A. Barrios, Public Servant, candidate to Depute).

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Political Parties

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Political Parties (I)

“I think the parties are in a crisis so brutal, that gender is an issue ... but they have bigger problems such as nepotism: political parties have today 80% of their members working for the government (…) I have the worst opinion of political parties, the worst!. For their political practices, for what they embody, for the lack of reflection, for the discussions they present. And in between, there is the gender issue that seems to me another evidence of their deep vulgarity” (Marco Enriquez Ominami, Ex Depute, currently candidate to Presidency).

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Political Parties (II)

“Chilean politics has a very low degree of professionalism, then, party institutions are fragile; they do not have party finance. Therefore, political parties do not have permanent qualify staff….” (Pepe Auth, President Party for Democracy, candidate to Depute)

“...I have the impression that political parties have incorporated many more women for a completely utilitarian view of politics” (G. Duarte, Depute).

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The congress

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Deputes and Senators

“I'm trying to be a super objective with men and women…sometimes you see some real jerks as deputies and senators, really pathetic, they contribute every day exclusively and constantly to make the population feel that politics is shit and they are not women, they are men (…) I think they contribute so much that they make that the ones who like politics think that politics is the worst vocation (….)”(A. Barrios, Public Servant, candidate to Depute).

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The presidential system, the constitution and the electoral system

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Presidential system "The degree of centralization of power (...) of the

presidential constitution that ultimately makes that we have not expedited mechanisms for participation… (A. Navarro, Senator).

“…this is a strong presidential system, due to its history, its constitution, its normative legal” (A. Barrios, Public Servant, candidate to Depute).

“(…) if you look at the cake and do an analysis of power in Chile, you could speak about presidential monarchy, about presidential Caesarism (…)…it is essential a new constitution, it is essential new law on political parties and changing the binomial. It is essential a unicameral parliamentary system rather than bicameral” (G. Duarte, Depute).

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Chilean constitution and electoral system (I)

“… we have a constitution that is very excluding, we have an electoral system that is very excluding. That starts excluding important and representative groups of this country, where men and women come together…(A. Rifo, Member Political Party and Union leader)”

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“The binomial electoral system, the Constitution itself, are all institutions that remain from the dictatorship period(...) The structures in this country are poor. If I could I would tell the President to call for a new constitution to change these things” (Carmen Lazo, Ex Depute, Political Party Leader).

Chilean constitution and electoral system (II)

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The Chilean binominalsystem

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It favours coalition slates. In this system, each electoral coalition can present two candidates for the two Senate

and two lower-chamber seats apportioned to each chamber's electoral district.

Table 1

The Chilean binominal system (I)

Electoral Coalitions

Case 1 Case 2 Case 3

Coalition 1 40% 50% 60%

Candidate A 30% 30% 50%Candidate B 10% 20% 10%

Coalition 2 40% 30% 30%

Candidate C 22% 18% 18%Candidate D 18% 12% 12%

Coalition 3 20% 20% 10%

Candidate E 11% 11% 6%Candidate F 9% 9% 4%

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The Chilean binominal system (II)

“…everyone (MPs) make great speeches about the need for change, but at the time that this change involves the modification of their district size, the modification of their electorate, of those who are going to participate in the election of the of candidate, they say no I will not vote my death certificate” (Pepe Auth, Leader of Political Party, candidate to Depute).”

“…everyone tells you that they really agree with the importance of incorporating women, but they block all the spaces .... that is, I can guarantee that the modification of the binomial system that allows expand the number of candidates per constituency or district, establishing quotas, it would be an absolutely viable solution...” (G. Duarte, Depute)

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The Chilean binominal system (III) “The binominal system per se is very complex for

applying any type of affirmative action; and changing the binominal system is even more complex, without thinking in gender quota law. I am in favour of modify the binominal system (…) I believe we have to open spaces, I believe we have… we are not going to end, but at least we are going to improve the issue of exclusion (Carla Rubilar, Depute).”

“The binominal system is a perverse system, it does not allow real competition, but competition between the two most powerful coalitions and that’s it. Therefore, the representativeness is not the citizenry representativeness, but the representativeness of the power of political parties (Andrea Zondek, Public Servant).”

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The Chilean binominal system (IV)

“…the binomial system puts all political actors in complex situations, there tends to be a fight within the political apparatus and there tend to predominate those that were previously installed, it does not open spaces for renewal, for the emergence of new leaders. The system tends to be very exclusionary, but not only for women, but also for young people, for innovation, for others, that is, it is conservative” (C. Montes, Depute).

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Final comments

Negative perceptions about politics does not greatly affect those who are already in politics

Women in Chilean politics still minority The few women in Chilean politics are part of the

traditional class Newcomers, including women, are forced to deal

not only with the social discredit of politics and lack of familiarity with the political world, but with negative perceptions of Chilean politics in general

In this context, being a women in Chilean politics is like starting a business during the economic crisis

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“The most complicated issue of greater women’s participation in politics is the great demagogy within the political world (G. Duarte, Depute). ”

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The End

Thanks for your attention