Parisi's Bloc Forces Populist Amendments on Kast's Flagship Economic Reconstruction Bill

By May 12, 2026, President José Antonio Kast's flagship 'National Reconstruction and Economic and Social Development' bill — the centerpiece of his governing agenda — was facing significant reshaping in Congress. Franco Parisi, whose Party of the People finished third in the 2025 presidential election, leveraged his bloc's swing votes to force the Kast government to accept populist amendments in exchange for passage. The mega-bill's centerpiece is a staged corporate tax cut from 27% to 23% between 2027–2029, plus fast-tracked environmental permitting and wildfire reconstruction funding. Kast's Partido Republicano lacks an absolute majority in either chamber, making Parisi's centrist-populist votes essential for any major legislation. The Finance Committee of the Chamber of Deputies had cleared the bill in principle on May 7 with an 8-4 vote, marking Kast's first major legislative hurdle cleared. The forced amendments represent the practical reality of minority government in Chile's multi-party Congress.