After the plebiscite in which the Democratic Revolution and Social Convergence participated determined that both parties will merge and constitute a single party; The latter, an important part of the government and representative of the progressive left, will become the one with the most militants in the country, reaching 62,625.
In Ñuble, meanwhile, the Broad Front will be positioned in fourth place, with 947 adherents, following the People’s Party (1,028), National Renovation (1,010) and the Radical Party (983).
Although Servel figures as of February 29 show that almost 460,000 people are active nationwide, the truth is that of this number, a minimum remains active. What’s more, 10% of the militancy voted for the Frente Amplio plebiscite, a figure similar to that of the internal elections of other communities.
So, it is worth asking: How representative are the numbers of militancy in our country?
More alternatives
According to political scientist and academic from the University of Concepción, Jeanne Simon, “the parties clearly have many militants because each of them needed a series of signatures to become a party. Now, as we know, they are a kind of ‘ghost militants’. That is why we have to see what commitments, what communication mechanism exists between the leadership of the parties and the party itself, and how decisions are made. The feeling I have, although it has not been studied, is that the new parties do not have such a political party structure. “That has to do with a need that is being generated for a more organizational structure that is not only around some figures, as I believe, it has been until now.”
Now, he said, “the fact that only 10% of the Frente Amplio voted in the plebiscite to join is due to the fact that perhaps for the majority of people, what they are looking for in the military is how to raise the need to have other parties that be different from the traditional matches we have seen. And in that sense, since you have to sign, you have to generate those opportunities. Now, thinking regarding the traditional parties, they have a national presence in general, they have the capacity to mobilize people from the bases – we can think of the DC, for example, which has a presence in all territories; because they have representatives in all instances, from the councilors.”
Regarding the motivation to join the military, he maintained that “this is to generate a political offer different from the traditional parties. I don’t think it’s so much regarding having a ‘snag’ assured, but rather seeking to renew the policy. In some cases yes, it turned out that they got ‘hit’, but my feeling is that it is not so much that. The ‘ghost’ militants seem to me to have to do with the way we currently conduct politics, where much of the contact is in virtual format, and in the specific case of the Frente Amplio, the low participation gives the impression that it is because they are concentrating their actions on governing and not so much on strengthening the party structure. Now with the merger they will be able to put together teams and generate a much more present territorial structure, which can recruit new figures.”
Less, but better games
Meanwhile, the electoral expert, Paulina Pinchart, highlighted that “indeed, the Frente Amplio is now the largest party by the number of adherents, but the fact that a person is active does not mean that that person is necessarily involved in everything that is the game. Why is this? Because there are many people who submit their signature, and not only in the case of the Frente Amplio, because when initiatives are being developed, they welcome the fact that there are other political alternatives, and therefore, they submit their support so that this can be formalized. party and this can be achieved. But that does not mean that the party that is being formed will necessarily represent it later, much less that they act as active militants of that party. What we are exemplifying today with the Frente Amplio, happens with all the parties here in Chile.”
Now, he clarified, “indeed, the fact that the Broad Front has such a large number of adherents, I think it is something positive, because I believe that one of the big problems we have here in Chile is the large number of political parties. I’m not saying that we are reduced to two political parties, but that there can be three, four political parties, and within them different currents, and that when it is necessary for all these militants to really push a project forward, they will all be present. This requires that they not become ghost militants who signed to be able to help someone, or because they saw that it was a good initiative to have a certain party, but rather that as voters they have a greater civic awareness of what it means to sign for a politic party”.
Pinchart highlighted the fact that “this is a reality of all political parties. I hope they have many militants, but many active militants, so that we can reduce the number of parties, and in that way, there will be majority forces that can lead the country politically along one path or another.”
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