(Angus Reid Global Monitor) - The popularity of Michelle Bachelet has slightly recovered in Chile, according to a poll by Adimark Gfk. 44.6 per cent of respondents approve of the president’s performance, up 2.2 points since June.

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.

Earlier this month, Bachelet announced an austerity plan for cabinet ministers and public employees in order to stem rapidly growing inflation. The government said that ministers taking flights of more than ten hours will have to do it on coach, and all purchases of official vehicles will be postponed. Chilean finance minister Andrés Velasco declared: "If the people, families, are tightening their belts, then the government will do the same."

Polling Data

Do you approve or disapprove of Michelle Bachelet’s performance as president?

Source: Adimark Gfk
Methodology: Telephone interviews with 1,027 Chilean adults, conducted from Jul. 5 to Jul. 30, 2008. Margin of error is 3 per cent.

Archive Search

Over 19,600 Polls
Search the Angus Reid Global Monitor Polls & Research archive.