Democratic legitimacy under strain? Declining political support and mass demonstrations in Chile

Abstract

The process of democratic transition in Chile has generally been regarded as one of the most successful cases of democratization in Latin America, with the Concertación coalition governments aiming for high levels of political stability, economic growth and institutional strength. However, since mid-2011, there have been a large number of demonstrations and protests in the country, challenging the indicators of success and the social and political stability achieved so far. Similarly, declining rates of approval for political institutions, as well as political disaffection have given rise to a number of questions regarding the legitimacy of the current Chilean model. In this article, I will explore several possible explanations for the wave of demonstrations and the decline in support for institutions and elaborate on the challenges and opportunities these problems pose for the legitimacy of the Chilean democratization process.