Presidential election in Chile: six candidates compete in official primaries
Audio 01:02
On the right for these official primaries, four former ministers of current President Sebastian Piñera (photo).
JAVIER TORRES AFP / File
Text by: RFI Follow
4 min
In Chile, more than 14 million people will have to elect a new president this year, in November.
This will be the first presidential election since the historic social movement against inequalities launched in late 2019 in the country.
An election that comes as the country has just started to draft a new Constitution. This Sunday, six candidates are measured in official primaries.
They will be only two this July 18 in the evening: a candidate for the left and one for the right.
Publicity
Read more
With our correspondent in Santiago,
Justine Fontaine
On the right, there are four, four former ministers of current President Sebastian Piñera. Ultra-conservative Joaquin Lavín, defender of the neoliberal model inherited from General Pinochet's dictatorship, is considered a favorite. Facing him, a supporter of the social right, Mario Desbordes, but also a liberal economist on social issues, Ignacio Briones, and finally the centrist Sebastián Sichel, from a modest background.
On the other side, on the left, only two candidates, rather in line with the demands of the social movement against inequalities.
First, the Communist Daniel Jadue, of Palestinian origin.
He is the mayor of a popular municipality in Santiago, where he has led several social innovations: low-cost medicines and glasses, and social housing.
He will be opposed to Gabriel Boric, a young deputy, former figure of the demonstrations for free education in 2011.
►
To read also:
Chile begins work for the drafting of its new Constitution
Turnout is generally low in these primaries, and whatever the outcome, other candidates are expected to go straight to the first round of the presidential election.
This is the case in particular for the Socialist Party candidate, but also for independent candidates who could declare themselves in the coming weeks.
The first round of the presidential election will be held at the same time as the legislative elections, next November.
Elected officials could see their terms of office interrupted if the new constitution drafted at the moment is adopted by referendum next year.
Newsletter
Receive all international news directly in your mailbox
I subscribe
Follow all the international news by downloading the RFI application
google-play-badge_FR
Chile
Sebastian pinera