Chilean Chamber of Deputies admits holiday bills for September 17

The Chilean Chamber of Deputies has declared three legislative projects admissible that seek to establish September 17 as a public holiday to extend the Fiestas Patrias celebrations.

One initiative was led by Juan Carlos Barraza of the Communist Party, while two others were presented by Zandra Parisi and Javier Olivares of the Partido de la Gente (PDG). Deputy Parisi specified that the proposed holiday would be non-irrenunciable, meaning it would not mandate the closure of businesses or paralyze economic activity, but rather provide an additional day for family rest and local commerce.

Admissibility is only the first step in the legislative process. The proposals must now be reviewed by committees, voted on again in the Chamber, and subsequently processed through the Senate. However, the initiatives face a constitutional hurdle, as the power to decree public holidays rests exclusively with the President of the Republic.