The Saga of Electoral Reform in Chile

Daniel Hojman has a very nice post on the Chilean binomial system. He shows how it over-represents the right and also under-represents groups outside the Left/Right blocs even though they have significant electoral bases. These groups are mostly on the left. The problem, then, is the (correct) perception that the system is essentially locked up.

This made me think of the Communist Party, though. It viewed the political system as closed but finally actually decided to join them rather than beat them. That is precisely the type of incentive that the binomial system was designed to create. Ironically, then, the Communists joined the system not long before it would be dismantled.

It is worth adding, moreover, that Renovación Nacional seems to believe that it over-represents the UDI so has moved more in favor of reform over the past several years. RN has therefore been working with the Christian Democrats to get a proposal together.

I've been blogging for years with cautious optimism about the prospects reforming the electoral system. It's the sort of thing that appears both glacial and inevitable.