Back

Brazil & Southern Cone - July 2013 (ISSN 1741-4431)

Chile 2013 - polarisation or the battle for the centre?

As expected, former president Michelle Bachelet (2006-2010) handily took the presidential nomination for the opposition Concertación in the first ever national primaries, held on 30 June, for the November general elections. Less expected was the victory of Pablo Longueira, of the ultra-conservative Unión Demócrata Independiente (UDI), the senior partner in the ruling Coaliciόn por el Cambio, who defeated Andrés Allamand of the centre-right Renovación Nacional (RN). While some considered the result a sign the 2013 election contest would become more polarised, particularly given the unprecedented show of support for Bachelet by the Partido Comunista de Chile (PCCh) [RBS-13-06], the fall-out points to the continued importance of the centre – which was also evidenced in the October 2012 municipals.

End of preview - This article contains approximately 1301 words.

Subscribers: Log in now to read the full article

Not a Subscriber?

Choose from one of the following options

Back

Articles in this issue