Positive developments and challenges of local democracy and inclusive governance in Chile
On 4 March 2024, the Local Public Sector Alliance (LPSA) held a meeting of its Working Group on Local Democracy and Inclusive Governance, in which theoretical ideas and experiences about local governance and decentralisation were discussed. Esteban Szmulewicz, PhD candidate at the Department of Constitutional and Administrative Law, presented his findings on Chile.
Esteban's presentation was entitled 'Positive developments and challenges of local democracy and inclusive governance in Chile'. Among the highlights of his findings, he mentioned the legal developments regarding citizens' participation and access to information. However, these developments have not been properly implemented. The actual effectiveness of these norms is highly unequal throughout the country, given the significant territorial disparities in state capacity. This gives rise to a sort of 'efficacy gap' between the norms of local democracy and the realities. Esteban also pointed to gender gaps and unfavourable conditions for indigenous communities. In addition, he emphasised that executive predominance at the local level reduces deliberation and makes accountability and checks and balances harder to achieve.