In the Name of the People and the Convictions: Possibilities and Limits of Government Based on Public Opinion

Abstract

Belying the forecasts that announced a weak government with strict dependence on his political godfather, the Kirchner government has instituted a public support based on its political will. Public opinion acts as a post-election electorate that has allowed the government to align the parliament and other public institutions weakened by the crisis of representation. But how can a government be stabilized only supported by public opinion? This contribution examines the evolution of institutional arrangements and of citizens, to argue that there have been changes in the democratic regime that require interpreting events from another perspective. These changes are discussed in light of the ongoing electoral process and the transformations in citizenship that has taken place throughout the democratic foundation cycle started in 1983. Finally, we consider the possibility that the government establishes a more deliberative relationship with the public opinion and at the same time seeks the necessary support in the political system.