The Presidential Republic - 1945 Chilean Congressional Election

[Lumine]

March 1945 - Three months after taking office,
it's time for President Schnake to face his first test

Prelude: Three months after the election of President Schnake the scheduled Congressional Elections for the 1945-1949 term have arrived, becoming the first test of an ambitious government elected with only a third of the vote. Having a smaller minority than President Ross in 1938, can President Schnake gain enough support to enact his bold "Social Democracy" agenda?

The Government:

Socialist Party (PS) - Determined to smash the PSP faction and prove his vision of Socialism is the right one for Chile, President Schnake and his cabinet are campaigning in full force to expand PS's support. While standing for a pro-US and anti-Axis foreign policy, Schnake and PS have developed the so called "Social Democracy" agenda, calling for a strong powerful executive to enact reforms, targeted nationalization, expansion of spending and state agencies for development, a no-tolerance attitude towards Communism and National Socialism and a move into a protectionist economy.

Radical Party (PR) - Now an integral part of the new administration, the Radicals have geared up to regain lost ground (and defend several Senate seats in risk), aspiring to claim the mantle of meritocracy, the center-left and the middle-class. Asserting their intention to support most of the President agenda, the Radicals pledge to fight for social liberalism, improvement and expansion of public services, anti-communism and a willingness to negotiate across the political spectrum.

Democratic Party (PD) - The third government partner, the unified Democratic Party has taken a swing towards the center to center-left position whilst retaining its strong populist message, making it a priority to both tackle poverty/cost of living and ensuring better access from the public to transportation and health. The Democrats have, however, been critical of Schnake's past support for the political bans and advocate including General Ibañez and the Ibañistas in the government.

The Center-Right Opposition:

Conservative Party (PCon) - Despite the defeat of Dr. Cruz-Coke the social-christian wing remains in control of the party, arguing that the Conservative Party needs to remain a party accessible to the masses. Thus, the Conservative Party retains its strong traditional catholicism, moderate anti-communism and support for law and order, whilst including pledges to fight in favor of extensive anti-poverty social programs and having started to take interest in early notions of christian democracy.

Liberal Party (PL) - Aiming to regain command of the center-right and become the next "mainstream" party, the Liberal Party has reassembled itself under command of the Manchesterian pro-Ross wing, defending social and economic liberalism, partial free trade, limited support for targeted government programs, anti-communism and the need to defend the Republic against both VN and PCCh. While in opposition, the Liberals have opened themselves to collaboration with the government if it proves workable.

Agrarian Party (PA) - Gearing themselves for expansion beyond the South of Chile, the Agrarians have found new leadership under successful businessman Jaime Larraín, who has given the party a populist touch beyond their support for regionalist, agrarian and corporativist politics. Retaining their demands for political decentralization, catholic social-conservatism and pro-farmer policies, Larraín has pushed the idea of replacing the Senate with an Social and Economic Council from trade, gremial and economic sectors.

The Leftist Opposition:

Communist Party (PCCh) - Immensely empowered after Lafertte reached 25% of the vote, the PCCh brands itself as "the voice of the working classes", arguing the Socialist have abandoned the claim to be the true main party of the Chilean left. Rejecting collaboration with Schnake's "reactionary" government if he maintains his pro-US anti-communism, the PCCh continues to promote mass economic nationalization, workers's rights, anti-imperalism, alignment with the Soviet Union, empowerment of the trade unions and expansion of democracy.

Popular Socialist Party (PSP) - The Socialist faction which broke away after Schnake's support for the ban on the Communist Party, the "Popular Socialists" of González, Ampuero and Allende define themselves as the "true revolutionary and Socialist party", arguing that the PS swing to the center-left is a betrayal of its principles. While agreeing with some of Schnake's "Social Democracy" agenda, the PSP states that the government agenda remains too moderate and attacks the President for dividing the Chilean left due to his anti-communism.

Other:

National Vanguard (VN) - Having doubled its share of the vote in last Presidential election the Chilean national-socialists (now VN) have been greatly encouraged, arguing that "day by day more of the public realizes the need to extinguish the corrupt liberal democracy". Still led by El Jefe (Jorge González von Marees), VN is committed to Chilean fascism, pro-Axis neutrality (with the war projected to end in weeks), a corporativist-protectionist economy, anti-liberalism and an authoritarian and national government led by an anti-oligarchic President.

National Ibañist Union (UNI) - Hoping to improve on the mediocre results of 1941, the Ibañistas have prepared for another campaign with greater and more active support from General Ibañez, who has been evolving from populist-lefist hero into a more apolitical figure denouncing the political establishment as corrupt and out of touch towards the people. Despite the continued confusion over their agenda, the UNI broadly stands for anti-corruption measures, economic interventionism, a foreign policy independent from the US, and nationalism.

Two days.

[Intell]

Popular Socialist Party.

[Joe Haydn]

Socialist Party

[PSOL]

PCCh

[Kingpoleon]

I kind of want the Liberals in the government, but I think I’ll vote Radical.

[Lumine]

Early results show a strong government landslide, heavy defeats for Liberals (and the right as a whole) and the Communists, and total wipeout for the Conservative Party and the National Vanguard.

[H. Ross Peron]

Socialist Party

[DavidB.]

Socialist Party

[🐒Gods of Prosperity🔱🐲💸]

PCon. I think it'd make sense for them to join up with the Agrarians.

[Former President tack50]

Radical Party

[DC Al Fine]

PCon. I think it'd make sense for them to join up with the Agrarians.

[GM Team Member and Deputy PPT WB]

PS.

[Lumine]

1945 Congressional Elections

March 1945 - Schnake's Socialists win a major landslide and crush the political extremes

Popular Vote:

PS: 38.8% (+13.2)
PL: 12.0% (-3.9)
PCon: 9.6% (-6.3)
PR: 9.6% (+0.1)
PCCh: 9.6% (-3.1)
PSP: 7.1% (+7.1)
UNI: 4.7% (+1.7)
PA: 2.2 (-0.8 )
PD: 2.2 (-4.1)
VN: 2.2 (-4.1 )
OTH: 2.0% (+0.2)
Government: 50.6% (+9.2)

Deputies:

PS: 69 (+26)
PL: 20 (-7)
PCon: 15 (-12)
PR: 13 (+2)
PCCh: 11 (-4)
PSP: 8 (+8 )
UNI: 5 (+2)
PA: 4 (-2)
PD: 1 (-7)
VN: 1 (-6)
OTH: 0
Government: 83 (+21), majority of 19

Senate:

PS: 18 (+9)
PL: 8 (-2)
PCon: 7 (-3)
PR: 7 (-2)
PCCh: 4 (=)
PA: 1 (=)
Government: 25 (+5), majority of 5

Fresh from a narrow presidential victory and holding little more than a third of Congress - thus allowing him to uphold a veto - President Schnake took office less than 100 days before the next scheduled Congressional Election and was thus met with the challenge of transforming his 33% of the vote into a Congressional majority, all while facing the enormous dilemma of well over a third of the country having voted for the Communists or National Vanguard back in October. That President Schnake not only succeed in engineering a triumph, but also managed to knock out most political parties into historically terrible results can be considered one of the biggest political triumphs in Chilean political history, and one filled with uncertainty until the very end.

Schnake started off a dynamic administration from day one, seeking to display a far more open and charming attitude towards the press than the dour Gustavo Ross and taking every possible opportunity for positive coverage that appeared to be possible. Determined to see his main foreign policy pledge through Schnake pressured, charmed and/or cajoled the Senate into declaring war on the Axis Powers on January 1945 - thanks to the Communist vote -, placing Chile among the Allies on the final months of the war and thus placing Schnake high among the Latin American allies of the Roosevelt Administration. Combining this with a brief law to tighten control of the electoral process handing it over to the military - who would guarantee an orderly election day and would disrupt attempts at fraud, blatant during those years - Schnake successfully demonstrated with authority, and then moved to vanquish his enemies.

Backed by the invaluable help of men like the steely and wise Marmaduque Grove - PS Chairman - and Arturo Olavarria - Minister of Justice and PR electoral strategist - Schnake moved against the National Vanguard first by having the histrionic, bombastic Führer von Marees temporarily declared insane and committed to a mental institution. Although von Marees would eventually be released by the Supreme Court after the election, the dramatic move humiliated the head of Chilean Nazism and sent the movement in collapse just as Nazi Germany fell apart. It was the turn of Chilean Communism afterwards, Schnake and Olavarria having prominent PCCh officers arrested after evidence was found of apparent links to Moscow, which President and Minister used to proclaim the PCCh was at the service of Moscow.

Having thus pushed the extremes into a corner, and with the already divided Chilean Right experiencing a collapse of its own by failing to expand into an election with unprecedented turnout, a resounding victory for the Government turned into an electoral bloodbath as Schnake and his coalition barely surpassed 50% of the vote. The PS experienced another leap to almost 40% as the Radicals held the line even amidst the collapse of the chaotically divided Democratic Party, giving the President majorites in both chambers provided he kept the Radicals in line. The Chilean right experienced another humiliation by falling back to a mere quarter of Congress, and amidst heavy losses for the Communists and annihilation by the Nazis the other relative "winners" proved to be the dissident Popular Socialist Party and General Ibañez's UNI, both of which achieved gains.

After less than three months in office, President Schnake had an enormous mandate behind him not seen since Arturo Alessandri. Could he make use of it?