Chile's Finance Ministry has summoned opposition advisors for a Monday virtual meeting to explain the public sector adjustment bill's controversial 'tying' clause, following initial backlash from president-elect José Antonio Kast's team. The session aims to smooth congressional processing from January 5, while the presidential office orders political appointees to take pending vacations before March's government handover.
Building on earlier tensions where Kast allies like Republican Party president Arturo Squella decried the bill's provisions as a 'breach of trust' for limiting contract worker dismissals, Finance Minister Nicolás Grau has called advisors from the Chamber and Senate Finance committees, plus opposition leaders, to a virtual meeting on Monday, December 29, at 5 p.m. The goal is to preview the bill's content—without full text—to anticipate disputes ahead of its January 5 congressional debate.
Opposition parties RN, UDI, and Republicans confirmed attendance. RN deputy Frank Sauerbaum said the group would review over 100 norms post-meeting before deciding on engagement, criticizing the US$600 million budgeted against a US$1.5 billion cost. UDI's Felipe Donoso plans participation pending the final text, while Republican deputy Agustín Romero will send an advisor to promote transparency.
In parallel, Interior Minister Álvaro Elizalde instructed at Friday's cabinet that political appointees must not remain beyond March 11—the handover to Kast—and cannot defer vacations past February, distinguishing them from career staff protected by the tying clause. Elizalde rejected threats of constitutional accusations against Grau as 'absurd.'
