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A presidential election was held in Chile on 4 September 1970. A very narrow plurality was secured by Salvador Allende, the candidate of the Popular Unity coalition of leftist parties. Because he did not obtain an absolute majority, his election required (and received) a further vote by the National Congress of Chile which resulted in Allende assuming the presidency in accordance with the Chilean Constitution of 1925. Image File history File links Chile flag 300px height unified for the national flags serie, by user:Marc Mongenet, from CIA World Factbook, borders removed, high compression ratio, some color or ratio corrections from http://www. ... Politics of Chile President of Chile Political parties in Chile Elections in Chile: Presidential: 1925 - 1927 - 1931 - 1932 - 1938 - 1941 - 1946 - 1952 - 1958 - 1964 - 1970 - 1989 - 1993 - 1999 - 2005 // Government Chile is a republic with an elected President and a bicameral National Congress. ... Flag of the President of Chile The President of Chile is both the chief of state and the head of government. ... Politics of Chile Politics of Chile Political parties in Chile Elections in Chile: President: 1970 - 1989 - 2005 A political party is a political organization subscribing to a certain ideology or formed around very special issues with the aim to participate in power, usually by participating in elections. ... Categories: Election related stubs | Elections in Chile ... Politics of Chile Political parties in Chile Elections in Chile: President: 1925 - 1927 - 1931 - 1932 - 1938 - 1941 - 1946 - 1952 - 1958 - 1964 - 1970 - 1989 - 1993 - 1999 - 2005 A presidential election was held in Chile on October 24, 1925. ... Politics of Chile Political parties in Chile Elections in Chile: President: 1925 - 1927 - 1931 - 1932 - 1938 - 1941 - 1946 - 1952 - 1958 - 1964 - 1970 - 1989 - 1993 - 1999 - 2005 A presidential election was held in Chile on May 22, 1927. ... Politics of Chile Political parties in Chile Elections in Chile: President: 1925 - 1927 - 1931 - 1932 - 1938 - 1941 - 1946 - 1952 - 1958 - 1964 - 1970 - 1989 - 1993 - 1999 - 2005 A presidential election was held in Chile on October 4, 1931. ... Politics of Chile Political parties in Chile Elections in Chile: President: 1925 - 1927 - 1931 - 1932 - 1938 - 1941 - 1946 - 1952 - 1958 - 1964 - 1970 - 1989 - 1993 - 1999 - 2005 A presidential election was held in Chile on 1932. ... Politics of Chile Political parties in Chile Elections in Chile: President: 1925 - 1927 - 1931 - 1932 - 1938 - 1941 - 1946 - 1952 - 1958 - 1964 - 1970 - 1989 - 1993 - 1999 - 2005 A presidential election was held in Chile on October 1938. ... Politics of Chile Political parties in Chile Elections in Chile: President: 1925 - 1927 - 1931 - 1932 - 1938 - 1941 - 1946 - 1952 - 1958 - 1964 - 1970 - 1989 - 1993 - 1999 - 2005 A presidential election was held in Chile on 1941. ... Politics of Chile Political parties in Chile Elections in Chile: President: 1925 - 1927 - 1931 - 1932 - 1938 - 1941 - 1946 - 1952 - 1958 - 1964 - 1970 - 1989 - 1993 - 1999 - 2005 A presidential election was held in Chile on September 4, 1946. ... Politics of Chile Political parties in Chile Elections in Chile: President: 1925 - 1927 - 1931 - 1932 - 1938 - 1941 - 1946 - 1952 - 1958 - 1964 - 1970 - 1989 - 1993 - 1999 - 2005 A presidential election was held in Chile on September 4, 1952. ... Politics of Chile Political parties in Chile Elections in Chile: President: 1925 - 1927 - 1931 - 1932 - 1938 - 1941 - 1946 - 1952 - 1958 - 1964 - 1970 - 1989 - 1993 - 1999 - 2005 A presidential election was held in Chile on September 4, 1958. ... Politics of Chile Political parties in Chile Elections in Chile: President: 1925 - 1927 - 1931 - 1932 - 1938 - 1941 - 1946 - 1952 - 1958 - 1964 - 1970 - 1989 - 1993 - 1999 - 2005 A presidential election was held in Chile on September 4, 1964. ... Politics of Chile Political parties in Chile Elections in Chile: President: 1970 - 1989 - 1993 - 1999 - 2005 A presidential election was held in Chile on 14 December 1989. ... Politics of Chile Political parties in Chile Elections in Chile: President: 1970 - 1989 - 1993 - 1999 - 2005 A presidential election was held in Chile on December, 1993. ... Politics of Chile Political parties in Chile Elections in Chile: President: 1970 - 1989 - 1993 - 1999 - 2005 Results First round Second round (runoff) Source: Chile Ministry of Interior See also Politics of Chile List of political parties in Chile Categories: Elections in Chile | 1999 ... Chilean presidential candidates: (left to right/top to bottom) Michelle Bachelet, Tomás Hirsch, Joaquín Lavín, Sebastián Piñera Politics of Chile President of Chile Political parties in Chile Elections in Chile: Presidential: 1925 - 1927 - 1931 - 1932 - 1938 - 1941 - 1946 - 1952 - 1958 - 1964 - 1970 - 1989 - 1993 - 1999... September 4 is the 247th day of the year (248th in leap years). ... 1970 was a common year starting on Thursday. ... A plurality (or relative majority) is the largest share of something, which may or may not be a majority. ... Dr. Salvador Allende Gossens1 (July 26, 1908–September 11, 1973) was President of Chile from 1970 until his death during the violent coup détat of 1973. ... Popular Unity (Spanish: Unidad Popular or UP) was the coalition of Chilean political parties that coalesced behind the successful candidacy of Salvador Allende for the 1970 Chilean presidential election. ... In politics, left-wing, political left, leftism, or simply the left, are terms that refer (with no particular precision) to the segment of the political spectrum typically associated with any of several strains of socialism, social democracy, or liberalism (especially but not exclusively in the American sense of the word... Congress building The National Congress (Spanish: Congreso Nacional) is the legislative branch of the government of the Republic of Chile. ... Chiles current constitution, approved by a referendum in the year 1980, replaced the earlier constitution from 1925. ... 1925 was a common year starting on Thursday (link will take you to calendar). ...

Results

Source: PDBA Dr. Salvador Allende Gossens1 (July 26, 1908–September 11, 1973) was President of Chile from 1970 until his death during the violent coup détat of 1973. ... Popular Unity (Spanish: Unidad Popular or UP) was the coalition of Chilean political parties that coalesced behind the successful candidacy of Salvador Allende for the 1970 Chilean presidential election. ... Term of office: 1958 – 1964 Preceded by: Carlos Ibáñez del Campo Succeeded by: Eduardo Frei Montalva Date of birth: May 19, 1896 Place of birth: Chile Date of death: August 31, 1986 Place of death: Santiago, Chile First Lady: none Political party: Conservative Jorge Alessandri Rodríguez (May 19... Politics of Chile Political parties in Chile Elections in Chile: President: 1925 - 1927 - 1931 - 1932 - 1938 - 1941 - 1946 - 1952 - 1958 - 1964 - 1970 - 1989 - 1993 - 1999 - 2005 The Christian Democratic Party of Chile (Partido Demócrata Cristiano de Chile) is a political party in Chile and governs as part of the...

The International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (IDEA) reports [1] that a total of 2,954,799 votes were cast, from a registered electorate of 3,539,747, giving a turnout of 83.5%. 3,539,747 registered voters is a noticeably low proportion of the total Chilean population of 9,720,000, of whom IDEA calculates that 5,346,000 (55.3%) were of voting age. Registration and turnout were reasonably consistent with earlier Chilean presidential elections, although both registration and participation have been considerably higher since the restoration of elections, beginning with the election of 1989. 1989 is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Other sources give slightly different figures.^[2]

Congressional confirmation

None of the candidates received an absolute majority of votes; according to the 1925 Constitution, the National Congress had to decide between the two candidates who had received the most votes, Allende and Alessandri. The precedent set on the three previous occasions this situation had arisen since 1932 was for Congress simply to choose the candidate with the highest number of votes; indeed, former president Alessandri had been elected in 1958 with 31.6% of the popular vote, defeating the same Allende. Congress building The National Congress (Spanish: Congreso Nacional) is the legislative branch of the government of the Republic of Chile. ... Dr. Salvador Allende Gossens1 (July 26, 1908–September 11, 1973) was President of Chile from 1970 until his death during the violent coup détat of 1973. ... Jorge Alessandri Rodríguez (May 19, 1896–August 31, 1986) was President of Chile from 1958 to 1964. ... 1932 is a leap year starting on a Friday. ... Jorge Alessandri Rodríguez (May 19, 1896–August 31, 1986) was President of Chile from 1958 to 1964. ... 1958 was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Dr. Salvador Allende Gossens1 (July 26, 1908–September 11, 1973) was President of Chile from 1970 until his death during the violent coup détat of 1973. ...

In this case, however, there was an active campaign against Allende's confirmation by Congress, and his presidency was ratified only after he agreed to sign a "Statute of Constitutional Guarantees", promising not to undermine the Chilean Constitution.

Between the popular vote on 4 September, and the Congressional confirmation on 24 October, there were several attempts to derail the process. The most ominous one (in hindsight) was the assassination of Army Commander-in-Chief General René Schneider, on 22 October, in a botched kidnapping attempt organized by General Roberto Viaux. September 4 is the 247th day of the year (248th in leap years). ... October 24 is the 297th day of the year (298th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 68 days remaining. ... Generals C. Prats and R. Schneider (right) General René Schneider Chereau (1913-1970) was the Commander-in-Chief of the Chilean Army at the time of the 1970 Chilean presidential election, when he was assassinated during a kidnapping attempt. ... October 22 is the 295th day of the year (296th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 70 days remaining. ... General Roberto Viaux Marambio (1917) was the primary planner of the failed coup détat attempt in Chile on October 22, 1970, aimed at preventing Socialist Salvador Allendes election. ...

Views of the election

There are generally two views of the voting in 1970. Those who opposed Salvador Allende point out that he received only a plurality of 36.3% of the vote. Those who supported him point instead to the fact that leftist forces clearly won a majority: in addition to Allende and the Unidad Popular (UP or Popular Unity) coalition he represented, Christian Democrat Radomiro Tomic won 27.9% with a very similar platform to Allende's. Conservative former president Jorge Alessandri received slightly under 35.8% of the vote.

It has been argued that given that less than the majority of the voters voted for him, Allende did not have a clear "mandate" to embark in the wide reforms put forward in his program. But the legality of the election itself is not in dispute.

Notes

^  Other sources give slightly different figures:

• El Mercurio, 5 September 1970, the day after the election, gives 1,075,616 (36.3%), 1,036,278 (34.9%), 824,849 (27.9%)
• La Tercera 5-6 September 1970, gives 1,070,334 (36.3%), 1,031,159 (34.9%) 821,505 (27.8%)
• [3], [4]: Salvador Allende 36.3%, Jorge Alessandri 34.9%, Radomiro Tomic 27.8%
• [5]: 36.5%, 34.9%, 27.8%. This source also says that 0.2% cast blank ballots and that 0.6% of ballots were annulled.
• In his memoirs (White House Years, 1979), Henry Kissinger credits Allende with "a bare 36.2 percent of the popular vote".

Henry Kissinger Henry Alfred Kissinger (born May 27, 1923 as Heinz Alfred Kissinger) is a German-born American diplomat and statesman. ...

Articles about Allende/Pinochet coup d'état in Chile

• Chilean coup of 1973 – events following this election
• Augusto Pinochet – took power in 1973 coup
• History of Chile – long article with section on 1970-1973 events
• U.S. intervention in Chile

The Chilean coup détat of September 11, 1973 was a watershed event in the history of Chile and the Cold War. ... General Augusto José Ramón Pinochet Ugarte[1] (born November 25, 1915) was head of the military government that ruled Chile from 1973 to 1990. ... This is the history of Chile. ... The United States on several occasions sought to influence the policies or government of Chile. ...

See also

• Politics of Chile
• List of political parties in Chile

Politics of Chile President of Chile Political parties in Chile Elections in Chile: Presidential: 1925 - 1927 - 1931 - 1932 - 1938 - 1941 - 1946 - 1952 - 1958 - 1964 - 1970 - 1989 - 1993 - 1999 - 2005 // Government Chile is a republic with an elected President and a bicameral National Congress. ... Politics of Chile Politics of Chile Political parties in Chile Elections in Chile: President: 1970 - 1989 - 2005 A political party is a political organization subscribing to a certain ideology or formed around very special issues with the aim to participate in power, usually by participating in elections. ...

External link

• A pro-Allende Spanish-language source, provides enormous day-by-day detail on the events between the election and Allende's inauguration as president
• Allende first speech to Chilean parliament following the 1970 election – in English