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Chile’s Bachelet in Upward Trend
(Angus Reid Global Monitor) - Chilean president Michelle Bachelet is enjoying a surge in popularity, according to a poll by Adimark Gfk. 58.5 per cent of respondents approve of the president’s performance, up 5.4 points since January.
Bachelet—a former defence minister—was elected in a January 2006 run-off as the candidate for the centre-left Agreement of Parties for Democracy (CPD) with 53.49 per cent of all cast ballots. She officially took over as president in March 2006.
Since taking office, Bachelet has faced massive protests staged by high school students complaining about the poor quality of public education, as well as street demonstrations in Santiago, the capital city, over the botched implementation of a new transportation program called Transantiago.
On Mar. 12, Bachelet announced changes in key posts in her administration. Following the resignation of foreign minister Alejandro Foxley for personal reasons, the president said current ambassador to the United States Mariano Fernández would take that position. Chilean defence minister José Goni will replace Fernández in Washington, and current government minister and spokesman Francisco Vidal will take over the defence portfolio.
The president explained the changes, saying, "The times ahead, as we have said, will be tough and will be decisive in successfully facing the economic crisis and its impact on Chile and to make good on pledges to the people. It is our duty to make the maximum effort to ensure these dreams become reality."
Polling Data
Do you approve or disapprove of Michelle Bachelet’s performance as president?
|
|
Feb. 2009 |
Jan. 2009 |
Dec. 2008 |
|
Approve |
58.5% |
53.1% |
51.1% |
|
Disapprove |
30.6% |
30.0% |
34.7% |
Source: Adimark Gfk
Methodology: Telephone interviews with 1,017 Chilean adults, conducted from Feb. 2 to Feb. 28, 2009. Margin of error is 3 per cent.