The failed primary effort of Chile Vamos, to measure its presidential flag bearer Evelyn Matthei with Senator Francisco Chahuán (Ex-RN) and his couple Luciano Cruz-Coke (Evópoli), surprised several former presidents of the opposition block parties. The opposition figures considered that it is a mistake to look for the electorate on the most extreme right or blend with it, instead of doing so by the “most sensible electorate” and that “shares the policy of the agreements” dating from the years of the former agreement.
In the chats of the communities and in various meetings, RN leaders and the UDI also think that the campaign command should show a better narrative to the electorate, which considers a key difference with the Republican party and the National Libertarian Party: a dialogue style that aims to achieve political agreements.
As explained in the opposition sector, a certain climate of polarization in the environment could cause a more conciliatory approach to be attractive, but also presents challenges, such as Matthei’s ability to communicate his vision convincingly and coordinate his candidacy with the parties that support it with a narrower tune.
The former president of the UDI, Patricio Melero, who headed the directive between 2012 and 2014 and when the general secretary was José Antonio Kast, says that to better compete with Republicans and the NLP, the search for consensus in the future government must be reached, which will be key “at a time when political polarization seems to go up, as is evident in several countries, including Chile”.
“The worst mistake is trying to mimicize”
In addition, the former president of the Chamber and deputy for 31 consecutive years, considers that the UDI and its representatives should resume the commitment to the lowest social sectors, which 15 years ago the popular UDI was called, instead of seeking to resemble others in their positions to avoid a leak of votes.
“For the electoral contest (with Kast and Kaiser), We must rescue the fundamental values that we go in Chile we represent and differentiate from them, rather than mimicize. I believe that in the style of the UDI and in its ideas is its strength. The worst mistake that UDI could make is to try to follow positions that do not emanate from our vision of society and Try to mimicize in order to prevent people from stop voting for us“, Says Melero A The counter.
And he adds: “I believe that today citizens reward authenticity, the style we have always had and that in some parts has been abandoned, and the foundational principles that have always been present in our political life.”
-What is the value that most represents the UDI and what differentiates them from Kast and Kaiser?
--I would say that the fundamental difference is in the UDI style, something that Jaime Guzmán always highlighted. When I tell you about style, it is that ability to defend ideas, but also to reach agreements, as we did. From the day the first tables of the Senate and the Chamber of Deputies were chosen, and so many other agreements that were achieved by the ability to also look at the common good. The style of always privileging a global and common good look, more than particular interest or partisan interest. A style that always seeks to avoid all kinds of populism, demagogy or conquer votes renouncing what is thought. I believe that those are the elements that perhaps ourselves have been blurred and that the time has come to recover.
Patricio Melero-the man who supported the candidacy of Joaquín Lavín in 2005 and negotiated the primary between Andrés Allamand (RN) and Pablo Longueira (ex-di) in 2014-argues that among the differences to keep in mind with the Matthei contenders are the three foundational principles of the UDI: being “a popular party, supporter of the social economy of market and Christian inspiration”.
“The UDI was losing and leaving aside that commitment to the popular world that characterizes us and made us great. We are behind, it is what we should have been doing for years. We have been losing strength and some of our people have found a course in other parties, precisely, because we have neglected these foundational axes (…). Especially the commitment to the lowest social sectors, the commitment of the popular UDI and the style of doing things that just He differentiated from other currents, ”concludes Melero.
“Chile Vamos must set your horizon to build majorities”
The former president of National Renewal between 2014 and 2018, Cristián Monckeberg, agrees that the campaign of the Presidential Charter of Chile Vamos must aim to represent a citizenship that seeks a government that listens, dialogue and gets agreements with those who think differently.
Monckeberg, who was a counterpart of Melero in 2005 as general secretary of the party, when Lavín competed in the presidential with Sebastián Piñera and Michelle Bachelet, slides that Matthei should distance himself from the polarization that characterizes other parties, such as the Republicans and libertarians, who – he knows – tend to seek adhesions in segmented groups. Instead, the block must be oriented towards the creation of a political space as wide as possible.
“The discussion is not the extreme center or right. (…) What Chile Vamos is played is the opportunity to give governance. Therefore, the campaign must be oriented to represent sectors that value dialogue, common sense, agreements, and a majority to support a future government. The Republican Party and the National Libertarian Party will probably go by the identity and polarized vote, which by definition is also niche,” says the former minister.
As stated, the key to electoral success lies in transmitting to citizens the ability to generate consensus: “Chile Vamos must set its horizon in the construction of a majority, in having vocation of majorities from the ideas of freedom,” he emphasizes.
Asked about the mistakes made in the episode of the primary, it states: “The error is not to be able to generate a single primary of the oppositions, and there each one assumes. If there is a single gran primary, the possibility of winning in the first round is very high.”
