Deputy Zandra Parisi, from the People’s Party (PDG), confirmed this Friday the presentation of a bill that seeks to declare Thursday, September 17, a national holiday, with the aim of creating a long weekend and extending the days off for the celebration of the National Holidays, which are set for Friday, September 18, and Saturday, September 19. The bill must be processed within a month by Congress to be enacted and come into effect during the week of the Chilean patriotic celebrations.
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The initiative clashes with multiple economic interests, as sectors such as commerce and industry point to the harm caused by an additional holiday to their activities. From another standpoint, tourism and gastronomy guilds appear, estimating that the greater number of people off work allows them to increase their earnings.
What does the bill propose to declare September 17 a holiday?
The proposal submitted by Deputy Parisi establishes a legal holiday for Thursday, September 17, for a single time. The main objective is to add it to Friday, September 18, and Saturday, September 19, which correspond to non-negotiable holidays where commerce keeps its doors closed. The bill does not consider September 17 as another non-negotiable holiday. Among the arguments, the author of the motion states it can increase hotel occupancy, demand in restaurants, and consumption in local businesses, especially in tourist areas and regions receiving visitors. It also warns that concentrating travel in a few days increases the risk of accidents on roads, as thousands of families are forced to travel during the same celebration days.
Will September 17 be a holiday this year?
Not for now. The declaration of the holiday depends on the debate held by Congress, which must process the bill quickly for it to become law before the day intended to be designated as a holiday arrives. It must first be introduced in the Chamber of Deputies, which after giving its green light sends it to the Senate. After committee reviews, it must be sent to the President of the Republic for promulgation. Once turned into law, the article must be published in the Official Gazette.
What remains for the bill to become law?
The legislative path of the bill in the Chamber of Deputies begins with its passage through the Finance and Economy committees, which issue a report sent to the Lower Chamber floor. If the deputies approve the idea of legislating, the proposal returns to the committees for detailed discussion. If approved in detail, the initiative is sent to the Senate, where it is also reviewed by committees and voted on generally and in detail. If senators or deputies reject some aspects of the norm, a mixed committee must be convened, composed of members from both chambers, who must issue another report that must be voted on again by the respective chambers. Once all legislative procedures are completed, the articles can be sent to the Executive.
How would the National Holidays look if approved?
If Deputy Parisi’s idea is approved, the workweek of the National Holidays would extend until Wednesday, September 16. Thursday, September 17 would be a legal holiday; Friday, September 18 would remain a non-negotiable holiday; Saturday, September 19 as a weekend day and non-negotiable holiday; and Sunday, September 20 as a normal week closing day.
How many holidays does Chile have during September?
For now, the September calendar has only two holidays: Friday, September 18 (National Independence) and Saturday, September 19 (Army Day). The holiday on Friday has the greatest effect as it falls on a working day. Both days are classified as non-negotiable holidays as they are days off for most workers in the country, including those working in essential businesses such as supermarkets and pharmacies. Those needing to acquire basic products during those days must go to businesses run by their owners or pharmacies that open according to a schedule.
Have similar bills been presented before?
Yes. In recent years, deputies have presented several proposals to extend the National Holidays with an additional holiday. In 2025, a proposal was made to declare September 17 a holiday, which was rejected by Congress and criticized by Gabriel Boric’s administration, which pointed to the economic damage caused by an additional festive day. Other initiatives presented in previous years have failed mainly due to lack of time in processing. Beyond these ideas, there is a rule that establishes that when the 18th and 19th fall on Wednesday and Thursday, the holiday must be decreed for Friday, September 20. This happened during the 2024 National Holidays.