The Chilean presidential election of 2009 is scheduled by law to take place on Friday December 11, 2009. The election will determine the successor to Michelle Bachelet. The winner will be sworn in on March 11, 2010. Flag of the President of Chile The President of Chile is both the chief of state and the head of government. ... Verónica Michelle Bachelet Jeria (born September 29, 1951) is a center-left politician and the current President of Chile—the first woman to hold this position in the countrys history. ... Congress building The National Congress (Spanish: Congreso Nacional) is the legislative branch of the government of the Republic of Chile. ... Chile Congress building The Senate of the Republic of Chile is the upper house of Chiles bicameral Congress, as established in the current constitution. ... Congress building The Chamber of Deputies of the Republic of Chile (Spanish: Cámara de Diputados) is the lower house of Chiles bicameral 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. ... Elections in Chile gives information on election and election results in Chile. ... Chilean presidential candidates: (left to right/top to bottom) Michelle Bachelet, Tomás Hirsch, Joaquín Lavín, Sebastián Piñera A presidential election took place in Chile on Sunday, December 11, 2005. ... The 2005 Chilean parliamentary election took place on December 11, 2005, in conjunction with the presidential election. ... Chile is divided into fifteen regions (in Spanish, regiones; singular región), each of which is headed by an superintendent (intendente), appointed by the president. ... Chile is divided into thirteen regions, each of which is headed by an intendant (intendente). ... ... Since its return to democracy in 1990, Chile has been an active participant in the international political arena. ... Information on politics by country is available for every country, including both de jure and de facto independent states, inhabited dependent territories, as well as areas of special sovereignty. ... December 11 is the 345th day (346th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2009 (MMIX) will be a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Verónica Michelle Bachelet Jeria (born September 29, 1951) is a center-left politician and the current President of Chile—the first woman to hold this position in the countrys history. ... March 11 is the 70th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (71st in leap years). ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ...

Possible candidates

In Chile incumbent presidents are not allowed to seek reelection. Likely candidates from each coalition include the following:

Concertación

The Coalition of Parties for Democracy (Concertación) may, as in the previous four presidential elections, nominate a single candidate. The Concertación de Partidos por la Democracia (Spanish Coalition of Parties for Democracy) is an alliance of left political parties in Chile. ...

Main candidates:

1. Ricardo Lagos (PS/PPD): The former president may seek releection. Thus far he has made contradictory statements regarding this possibility. In one television interview he discarded the idea, yet in later interviews he has remained open to the idea, saying that, in politics "you can never say never."
2. Soledad Alvear (PDC): Alvear dropped from the 2005 presidential race against Bachelet because of low rating approval, and was elected senator in the past election until 2014. She is currently the president of the Christian Democrat Party. In line with the rest of his coalition, she has said it is too soon to be talking about the next presidential election.
3. José Miguel Insulza (PS): The former Interior Minister was elected Secretary General of the Organization of American States until 2010. He has expressed interest in the presidency in the past, but has stated he intends to finish his term as Secretary General, but that he won't seek reelection. He does not discard the idea of running for president.

Long shot candidates: Ricardo Froilán Lagos Escobar (born March 2, 1938) is a lawyer, economist and social democrat politician, who served as president of Chile from 2000 to 2006. ... Soledad Alvear María Soledad Alvear Valenzuela, (September 17; 1950 - ...) is a Chilean lawyer and Christian Democrat politician. ... 2014 (MMXIV) will be a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Christian Democrat Party of Chile (Partido Demócrata Cristiano de Chile) is a political party in Chile and governs as part of the Coalition of Parties for Democracy coalition. ... José Miguel Insulza Secretary General-Elect of the Organization of American States José Miguel Insulza Salinas (born June 2, 1943) is a Chilean socialist politician and Chiles former Interior Minister. ... According to the Charter of the Organization of American States: The Secretary General shall direct the General Secretariat, be the legal representative thereof, and [...] be responsible to the General Assembly for the proper fulfillment of the obligations and functions of the General Secretariat. ...

1. Sergio Bitar (PPD): The current PPD president said on May 4, 2007 that he would make himself available as his party's precandidate if there was enough support.^[1]
2. Eduardo Frei Ruiz-Tagle (PDC): The former president and current senator until 2014 has not ruled out this possibility.
3. Fernando Flores (independent): The former minister of Salvador Allende and current senator launched a failed presidential bid for the 2005 election. He resigned from the PPD in early 2007.
4. José Antonio Gómez (PR): The former Minister of Justice and current senator stated on October 5, 2006 that he had the intention of running in the Concertación primaries.
5. Adolfo Zaldívar (PDC): The former president of the PDC and current senator lost the last internal PDC primary to Alvear. He is the brother of former senator and former Interior Minister Andrés Zaldívar.
6. Nicolás Eyzaguirre (PPD): The former Finance Minister has expressed interest in running for president. He has said that if former president Ricardo Lagos doesn't run for reelection, he would make himself available as candidate.

May 4 is the 124th day of the year (125th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... Eduardo Frei Ruiz-Tagle (born June 24, 1942) was President of Chile from 1994 to 2000. ... Carlos Fernando Flores Labra (born January 9, 1943) is a former Chilean cabinet minister and current senator. ... Salvador Allende Gossens[1] (July 26, 1908 – September 11, 1973) was President of Chile from November 1970 until his suicide during the coup détat of September 11, 1973. ... October 5 is the 278th day of the year (279th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... Miguel Adolfo Zaldívar Larraín (born September 13, 1943), is a former president of the Christian Democrat Party of Chile (Democracia Cristiana, PDC). ... Andrés Zaldívar, as President of the Senate of Chile José Andrés Rafael Zaldívar Larraín (born March 18, 1936), popularly known as El Chico Zaldívar (Zaldívar, the little one), is a prominent Chilean Christian Democrat politician and the current Chilean Minister of the Interior. ...

Alianza

The Alliance for Chile (Alianza) may or may not nominate a single coalition candidate. The Alliance for Chile (Spanish Alianza por Chile), also known as La Alianza (The Alliance), is a coalition of right wing Chilean political parties. ...

Main candidates:

1. Sebastián Piñera (RN): Piñera lost the 2006 runoff election to Michelle Bachelet. In a radio interview on March 14, 2006, he said he would run again in 2009, adding that the campaign would begin in March 2008. A poll published by La Tercera newspaper in April 2007 put PIñera ahead of Lagos, Alvear and Insulza in presidential preferences.
2. Jacqueline van Rysselberghe (UDI): The current mayor of Concepción was proclaimed, on October 11, 2006, as candidate by five UDI deputies from the Bío-Bío Region.</ref>

Long shot candidates: Sebastián Piñera during a televised presidential debate (2005) Miguel Juan Sebastián Piñera Echenique (born December 1, 1949) is a Chilean businessman and politician. ... March 14 is the 73rd day of the year (74th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... 2008 (MMVIII) will be a leap year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... La Tercera (formerly Las Tercera de la Hora) is a Chilean newspaper owned by Copesa. ... Jacqueline Van Rysselberghe Herrera (*1965) is a Chilean politician, psychiatrist graduate at Universidad de Concepción. ... Concepción (Spanish for conception, in reference to the Immaculate Conception of Roman Catholic dogma) is the name of several towns and cities in Latin America: Concepción, Chile Concepción, Santander, Colombia Concepción, Campeche, Mexico Concepción, Tabasco, Mexico Concepción, Paraguay Concepción, Zulia State, Venezuela And... October 11 is the 284th day of the year (285th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... Bío-Bío is Chiles eighth administrative region from north to south. ...

1. Joaquín Lavín (UDI): A third nomination for Lavín may seem unlikely, and his party, the Independent Democrat Union, may go for Longueira instead. In an interview with Chile's National Television station (TVN) on March 21, 2006, Lavín said the road to a possible 2009 nomination was for him a "closed window." On October 3, 2006, he stated that if the election took place tomorrow, "Pablo Longueira would be the most likely candidate of the UDI."^[2] Lavín may end up running for the mayorship of Las Condes or Santiago, or for a senate seat for the Valparaíso Region.
2. Andrés Allamand (RN): There has been speculation about the current senator being a possible candidate.
3. Pablo Longueira (UDI): The senator officially launched his candidacy on March 30, 2007. He had announced his plans before the 2005 election took place. He stepped down due to "low party support" on May 3, 2007 and has refused to resume his candidacy]^[3]. Within his party, numerous other polticians are being mentioned to represent it in the election, amongst them Senators Hernán Larraín, Evelyn Matthei, and Jovino Novoa. However, none of them have officially launched a candidacy.

Joaquín Lavín in a telecasted debate of Canal 13 and CNN en Español Joaquín José Lavín Infante (b. ... The Independent Democrat Union (Unión Demócrata Independiente, UDI) is Chiles most conservative political party. ... ... March 21 is the 80th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (81st in leap years). ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... October 3 is the 276th day of the year (277th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... Kennedy Avenue Las Condes is a municipality (comuna) of Chile located in the northeastern part of the province of Santiago in the Santiago Metropolitan Region, at the foot of the Andes mountains. ... Location of Santiago commune in Greater Santiago Coordinates: Region Santiago Metropolitan Region Province Santiago Province Foundation February 12, 1541 Government  - Mayor Raúl Alcaíno Lihn Area 1  - City 641. ... Valparaíso is Chiles fifth administrative region from north to south. ... Juan Pablo Longueira Montes (b. ... March 30 is the 89th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (90th in leap years). ... 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... May 3 is the 123rd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (124th in leap years). ... 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ...

Podemos

The Together We Can Do More pact (Juntos Podemos Más) was able to attract 5.4% of the vote in the past election under Humanist Tomás Hirsch. Juntos Podemos Más logo Juntos Podemos Más (Spanish literal: Together we can do more, Podemos is an acronym of Poder Democrático Social, Spanish for Social Democratic Power) is a political coalition created in 2003, consisting of two legally constituted political parties, the Communist Party of Chile and...

• Tomás Hirsch (PH): Hirsch may seek the far-left pact's renomination.

Tomás René Hirsch Goldschmidt (born 1956 or 57) is a leftist Chilean politician. ...

Polls

The first poll to directly evaluate intention of vote by candidate was released by La Tercera on April 28, 2007. La Tercera (formerly Las Tercera de la Hora) is a Chilean newspaper owned by Copesa. ... April 28 is the 118th day of the year (119th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 247 days remaining. ... 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ...

The Concertación de Partidos por la Democracia (Spanish Coalition of Parties for Democracy) is an alliance of left political parties in Chile. ... The Alliance for Chile (Spanish Alianza por Chile), also known as La Alianza (The Alliance), is a coalition of right wing Chilean political parties. ... La Tercera (formerly Las Tercera de la Hora) is a Chilean newspaper owned by Copesa. ... April 28 is the 118th day of the year (119th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 247 days remaining. ... 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... Ricardo Froilán Lagos Escobar (born March 2, 1938) is a lawyer, economist and social democrat politician, who served as president of Chile from 2000 to 2006. ... Sebastián Piñera during a televised presidential debate (2005) Miguel Juan Sebastián Piñera Echenique (born December 1, 1949) is a Chilean businessman and politician. ... Soledad Alvear María Soledad Alvear Valenzuela, (September 17; 1950 - ...) is a Chilean lawyer and Christian Democrat politician. ... Sebastián Piñera during a televised presidential debate (2005) Miguel Juan Sebastián Piñera Echenique (born December 1, 1949) is a Chilean businessman and politician. ... José Miguel Insulza Secretary General-Elect of the Organization of American States José Miguel Insulza Salinas (born June 2, 1943) is a Chilean socialist politician and Chiles former Interior Minister. ... Sebastián Piñera during a televised presidential debate (2005) Miguel Juan Sebastián Piñera Echenique (born December 1, 1949) is a Chilean businessman and politician. ... Eduardo Frei Ruiz-Tagle (born June 24, 1942) was President of Chile from 1994 to 2000. ... Sebastián Piñera during a televised presidential debate (2005) Miguel Juan Sebastián Piñera Echenique (born December 1, 1949) is a Chilean businessman and politician. ... Ricardo Froilán Lagos Escobar (born March 2, 1938) is a lawyer, economist and social democrat politician, who served as president of Chile from 2000 to 2006. ... Juan Pablo Longueira Montes (b. ... Soledad Alvear María Soledad Alvear Valenzuela, (September 17; 1950 - ...) is a Chilean lawyer and Christian Democrat politician. ... Juan Pablo Longueira Montes (b. ... José Miguel Insulza Secretary General-Elect of the Organization of American States José Miguel Insulza Salinas (born June 2, 1943) is a Chilean socialist politician and Chiles former Interior Minister. ... Juan Pablo Longueira Montes (b. ... Eduardo Frei Ruiz-Tagle (born June 24, 1942) was President of Chile from 1994 to 2000. ... Juan Pablo Longueira Montes (b. ...

References