IFES Election Guide - Election Profile for Chile

Election Profile:

Overview

Results

Of Interest/Links

Sources

Country: Chile
Official Name: Republic of Chile
Election Type: Presidential
First Round: December 11, 2005
Second Round: January 15, 2006

Source for election date

At stake in this election:

The office of President of Chile

Description of government structure:

Chief of State: President Ricardo LAGOS Escobar *
Head of Government: President Ricardo LAGOS Escobar
Assembly: Chile has a bicameral National Congress (Congreso Nacional) consisting of the Senate (Senado) with 48 seats and the Chamber of Deputies (Camara de Diputados) with 120 seats.

* The president is both the chief of state and head of government.

Description of electoral system:

The President is elected by popular vote to serve a 6-year term.
In the Senate (Senado), 38 members are elected by popular vote to serve 8-year terms and 10 members are designated *. In the Chamber of Deputies (Camara de Diputados) 120 members are elected by popular vote to serve 4-year terms.

* One-half of the members in the Senate are elected every four years.

Main Candidates in the Second Round of the Presidential race:

Michelle BACHELET*
Coalition: Coalition of Parties for Democracy / Concertación de Partidos por la Democracia
Sebastian PIÑERA
Party: National Renewal / Renovación Nacional (RN)

Main Candidates in the First Round of the Presidential race:

Michelle BACHELET*
Coalition: Coalition of Parties for Democracy / Concertación de Partidos por la Democracia
Sebastian PIÑERA
Party: National Renewal / Renovación Nacional (RN)
Joaquin LAVIN
Party: Independent Democrat Union / Unión Demócrata Independiente (UDI)
Tomas HIRSCH****
Coalition: Together We Can Do More / Pacto Juntos Podemos Más

* The Coalition of Parties for Democracy includes the Christian Democrat Party (PDC), the Party for Democracy (PPD), the Socialist Party (PS), and the Social Democrat Radical Party (PRSD). Michelle BACHELET is a member of the Socialist Party (PS).
**** The coalition Together We Can Do More includes the Communist Party of Chile and the Humanist Party. Thomas HIRSCH is a member of the Humanist Party.

Last Presidential election:

Presidential elections were last held on December 12, 1999, with a runoff election on January 16, 2000. Ricardo LAGOS Escobar was elected president with 51.32% of the vote.