Chile

This article is part of the series: Politics and government of Chile This image has been released into the public domain by the copyright holder, its copyright has expired, or it is ineligible for copyright. ...

Constitution President Michelle Bachelet National Congress Senate Chamber of Deputies Political parties Elections President: 2005–2006, 2009 Legislature: 2005 Regions Provinces Foreign relations

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Politics of Chile takes place in a framework of a presidential representative democratic republic, whereby the President of Chile is both head of state and head of government, and of a pluriform multi-party system. Executive power is exercised by the government. Legislative power is vested in both the government and the two chambers of the National Congress. The Judiciary is independent of the executive and the legislature. 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 Chilean presidential election of 2009 is scheduled to take place on Friday December 11, 2009. ... 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. ... A presidential system, also called a congressional system, is a system of government where the executive branch exists and presides (hence the term) separate from the legislature, to which it is not accountable, and which cannot in normal circumstances dismiss it. ... Representative democracy is a form of democracy founded on the exercise of popular sovereignty by the peoples representatives. ... Forms of government Part of the Politics series Politics Portal This box:      For other uses, see Republic (disambiguation). ... Flag of the President of Chile The President of Chile is both the chief of state and the head of government. ... Queen Elizabeth II, is the Head of State of 16 countries including: the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, Jamaica, New Zealand and the Bahamas, as well as crown colonies and overseas territories of the United Kingdom. ... The Head of Government is the chief officer of the executive branch of a government, often presiding over a cabinet. ... Under the doctrine of the separation of powers, the executive is the branch of a government charged with implementing, or executing, the law. ... A legislature is a governmental deliberative body with the power to adopt laws. ... Congress building The National Congress (Spanish: Congreso Nacional) is the legislative branch of the government of the Republic of Chile. ... The Politics series Politics Portal This box:      In law, the judiciary or judicial is the system of courts which administer justice in the name of the sovereign or state, a mechanism for the resolution of disputes. ...

Chile's Constitution was approved in a national plebiscite in September 1980, under the military government of President Augusto Pinochet. It entered into force in March 1981. After Pinochet's defeat in the 1988 plebiscite, the Constitution was amended to ease provisions for future amendments to the Constitution. In September 2005, President Ricardo Lagos signed into law several constitutional amendments passed by Congress. These include eliminating the positions of appointed senators and senators for life, granting the President authority to remove the commanders-in-chief of the armed forces, and reducing the presidential term from six to four years. Augusto José Ramón Pinochet Ugarte[1] (November 25, 1915–December 10, 2006) was a general and President of Chile. ... A senator for life is a member of the senate elected or appointed for lifetime. ...

Executive branch

Chile elects its President by popular vote for a four-year term. The President appoints the cabinet. Flag of the President of Chile The President of Chile is both the chief of state and the head of government. ...

Michelle Bachelet won 53.49% of the vote in a run-off election on 15 January 2006 and was sworn in as President on March 11, 2006. Bachelet is a member of Chile's Socialist party (part of the Coalition of Parties for Democracy) and, under the past administration, served as Defense Minister since 2002, and previously as Health Minister. Chileans voted in the first round of presidential elections on December 11, 2005. None of the four presidential candidates won more than 50% of the vote. As a result, the top two vote-getters—center-left Concertacion coalition’s Michelle Bachelet and center-right Alianza coalition’s Sebastián Piñera—competed in a run-off election on January 15, 2006, which Michelle Bachelet won. She was sworn in on March 11, 2006. This was Chile’s fourth presidential election since the end of the Pinochet era. All four have been judged free and fair. The President is constitutionally barred from serving consecutive terms. 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. ... January 15 is the 15th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... March 11 is the 70th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (71st in leap years). ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... The Socialist Party of Chile (Spanish: Partido Socialista de Chile or PS) is a political party in Chile, and part of the ruling Coalition of Parties for Democracy coalition. ... The Concertación de Partidos por la Democracia (Spanish Coalition of Parties for Democracy) is an alliance of left political parties in Chile. ... December 11 is the 345th day (346th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Sebastián Piñera during a televised presidential debate (2005) Miguel Juan Sebastián Piñera Echenique (born December 1, 1949) is a Chilean businessman and politician. ... January 15 is the 15th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... March 11 is the 70th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (71st in leap years). ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ...

Former President Ricardo Lagos Escobar held this office from 11 March 2000 until 11 March 2006. Ricardo Froilán Lagos Escobar (born March 2, 1938) is a lawyer, economist and Socialist politician, and the president of Chile since 2000. ... March 11 is the 70th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (71st in leap years). ... 2000 (MM) was a leap year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... March 11 is the 70th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (71st in leap years). ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ...

Legislative branch

The bicameral National Congress (Congreso Nacional) consists of the Senate (Senado) and the Chamber of Deputies (Cámara de Diputados). 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. ...

Chile's congressional elections are governed by a unique binomial system that rewards coalition slates. Each coalition can present two candidates for the two Senate and two lower-chamber seats apportioned to each chamber's electoral districts. Typically, the two largest coalitions split the seats in a district. Only if the leading coalition ticket outpolls the second-place coalition by a margin of more than 2-to-1 does the winning coalition gain both seats. The political parties with the largest representation in the current Chilean Congress are the centrist Christian Democrat Party and the conservative Independent Democratic Union (Unión Demócrata Independiente). The Communist Party and the small Humanist Party failed to gain any seats in the 1997 elections. 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 Independent Democratic Union (Unión Demócrata Independiente, UDI) is Chiles most conservative political party. ... The Communist Party of Chile YOU MOTHERFUCKING COMMUNISTS GO TO HELL! (Spanish: Partido Comunista de Chile) is a Chilean political party that advocates communism. ... 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 Humanist Party (Partido Humanista) is a political party in Chile. ...

Elections are very labor intensive but efficient, and vote counting normally takes place the evening of the election day. One voting table, with a ballot-box each, is set up for at-most 200 names in the voting registry. Each table is manned by five people (vocales de mesa) from the same registry. Vocales have the duty to work as such during a cycle of elections, and can be penalized legally if they do not show up. A registered citizen can only vote after his identity has been verified at the table corresponding to his registry. Ballots are manually counted by the five vocales, after the table has closed, at least eight hours after opening, and the counting witnessed by representatives of all the parties who choose to have observers.

The Senate is made up of 38 members elected from regions or subregions which serve approximately eight-year terms.

The Chamber of Deputies has 120 members, who are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms. The last congressional elections were held in December 11, 2006. The next congressional elections are scheduled for December 2009.

The current Senate composition is as follows: 20 seats are held by the Coalition of Parties for Democracy (CPD): Six Christian Democrats (PDC), eight Socialists (PS), three Party for Democracy (PPD) and three Social Democrat Radical Party (PRSD); 17 by the Alliance for Chile (APC): nine Independent Democrat Union (UDI) and eight National Renewal (RN); and one independent leaning right. The Concertación de Partidos por la Democracia (Spanish Coalition of Parties for Democracy) is an alliance of left political parties in Chile. ... 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. ... The Socialist Party of Chile (Spanish: Partido Socialista de Chile or PS) is a political party in Chile, and part of the ruling Coalition of Parties for Democracy coalition. ... The Party for Democracy is a governing political party in Chile. ... Politics of Chile Political parties in Chile Elections in Chile: President: 1970 - 1989 - 1993 - 1999 - 2005 The Social Democrat Radical Party (Partido Radical Socialdemócrata) is a social democratic, left wing and liberal party 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. ... The Independent Democrat Union (Unión Demócrata Independiente, UDI) is Chiles most conservative political party. ... National Renewal (RN) (Spanish: Renovación Nacional), is a center-right liberal conservative political party belonging to the Chilean right-wing political coalition Alliance for Chile in conjunction with the Independent Democratic Union (UDI). ...

The current lower house—the Chamber of Deputies —contains 65 members of the governing coalition: 21 Christian Democrats (PDC), 15 Socialists (PS), 22 Party for Democracy (PPD) and seven Social Democrat Radical Party (PRSD); 54 from the center-right Alliance for Chile(APC): 34 Independent Democrat Union (UDI) and 20 National Renewal (RN); and 1 from the Independent Regional Force (FRI) coalition: 1 Regionalist Action Party of Chile (PAR). 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. ... The Socialist Party of Chile (Spanish: Partido Socialista de Chile or PS) is a political party in Chile, and part of the ruling Coalition of Parties for Democracy coalition. ... The Party for Democracy is a governing political party in Chile. ... Politics of Chile Political parties in Chile Elections in Chile: President: 1970 - 1989 - 1993 - 1999 - 2005 The Social Democrat Radical Party (Partido Radical Socialdemócrata) is a social democratic, left wing and liberal party 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. ... The Independent Democrat Union (Unión Demócrata Independiente, UDI) is Chiles most conservative political party. ... National Renewal (RN) (Spanish: Renovación Nacional), is a center-right liberal conservative political party belonging to the Chilean right-wing political coalition Alliance for Chile in conjunction with the Independent Democratic Union (UDI). ... PAR symbol Regionalist Action Party of Chile (in Spanish: Partido de Acción Regionalista de Chile), a political party in Chile. ...

Since 1987 the Congress operates in the port city of Valparaíso, about 110 kilometers (~70 mi.) northwest of the capital, Santiago. However some commissions are allowed to meet in other places, especially Santiago. Congressional members have tried repeatedly to relocate the Congress back to Santiago, where it operated until the 1973, but have not been successful. The last attempt was in 2000, when the project was rejected by the Constitutional Court, because it allocated funds from the national budget, which, under the Chilean Constitution, is a privilege of the President. Port of Valparaíso, Chile Valparaíso is an important Chilean seaport and an increasingly vital cultural center. ... Satellite image of Santiago Santiago (full form Santiago de Chile) is the capital of Chile. ... Prisoners outside the La Moneda Palace after their surrender during the coup (1973). ...

Legal system

Chile's judiciary is independent and includes a court of appeal, a system of military courts, a constitutional tribunal, and the Supreme Court. The judges on the Supreme Court or Corte Suprema are appointed by the president and ratified by the Senate from lists of candidates provided by the court itself. The president of the Supreme Court is elected by the 21-member court. Supreme Court building in Santiago The Supreme Court of Chile is the highest court of appeal in Chile. ...

Chile's legal system is civil law based. It is primarily based on the Civil code of 1855, derived from Spanish law and subsequent codes influenced by European law of the last half of the 19th Century. Chile provides for a very limited judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court. It does not accept compulsory ICJ jurisdiction. Civil law or continental law is the predominant system of law in the world, with its origins in Roman law, and sets out a comprehensive system of rules, usually codified, that are applied and interpreted by judges. ... A civil code is a systematic compilation of laws designed to comprehensively deal with the core areas of private law. ... Alternative meaning: Nineteenth Century (periodical) (18th century — 19th century — 20th century — more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 19th century was that century which lasted from 1801-1900 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar. ...

From the year 2000 onward, Chile completely overhauled its criminal justice system; a new, US-style adversarial system has been gradually implemented throughout the country with the final stage of implementation in the Santiago metropolitan region completed on June 17th, 2005.

Political parties and elections

For other political parties see List of political parties in Chile. An overview on elections and election results is included in Elections in Chile.

Main article: Chilean presidential election, 2005

Main article: Chilean parliamentary election, 2005

The 2005 Chilean parliamentary election took place on December 11, 2005, in conjunction with the presidential election. ...

Pressure groups

• Student federations at all major universities
• Roman Catholic Church
• United Labor Central (CUT), trade unionists from Chile's five largest labor confederations.

The Roman Catholic Church or Catholic Church (see terminology below) is the Christian Church in full communion with the Bishop of Rome, currently Pope Benedict XVI. It traces its origins to the original Christian community founded by Jesus Christ and led by the Twelve Apostles, in particular Saint Peter. ...

International organization participation

Chile or Chilean organizations participate in the following international organizations:

United Nations Secretary-General U Thant, 1969 The Treaty of Tlatelolco is the conventional name given to the Treaty for the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons in Latin America and the Caribbean. ... The Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) is a group of Pacific Rim countries that meet with the purpose of improving economic and political ties. ... BIS Headquarters in Basel The Bank for International Settlements (or BIS) is an international organization of central banks which exists to foster cooperation among central banks and other agencies in pursuit of monetary and financial stability. It carries out its work through subcommittees, the secretariats it hosts, and through its... The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations that leads international efforts to defeat hunger. ... link titlelink titlelink titlelink titlelink title--210. ... The Inter-American Development Bank (preferred abbreviation: IDB; but frequently given as IADB), was established in 1959 to support Latin American and Caribbean economic/social development and regional integration by lending mainly to public institutions. ... The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) was established as an autonomous organization on July 29, 1957. ... Logo of the World Bank The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD, in Romance languages: BIRD), better known as the World Bank, is an international organization whose original mission was to finance the reconstruction of nations devastated by WWII. Now, its mission has expanded to fight poverty by means... The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), an agency of the United Nations, codifies the principles and techniques of international air navigation and fosters the planning and development of international air transport to ensure safe and orderly growth. ... Official logo of the ICC. The International Criminal Court (ICC) was established in 2002 as a permanent tribunal to prosecute individuals for genocide, crimes against humanity, crime of aggression, and war crimes, as defined by several international agreements, most prominently the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court. ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) is an international organization that works to promote and support global trade and globalization. ... The International Development Association (IDA) created on September 24, 1960, is the part of the World Bank that helps the world’s poorest countries. ... The International Fund for Agricultural Development is an agency of the United Nations. ... The International Finance Corporation (IFC) promotes sustainable private sector investment in developing countries as a way to reduce poverty and improve peoples lives. ... The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRCS) is an international humanitarian organisation, often better known as the Red Cross or the Red Crescent. ... The International Hydrographic Organization (IHO) is an intergovernmental international organization established in 1921. ... The International Labour Organization (ILO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations to deal with labour issues. ... [[Image:Example. ... Headquarters of the International Maritime Organisation in Lambeth, adjacent to the east end of Lambeth Bridge Headquarters building taken from the west side of the Thames Headquartered in London, U.K., the International Maritime Organization (IMO) promotes cooperation among governments and the shipping industry to improve maritime safety and to... Interpol, or International Criminal Police Organization, was established as The International Criminal Police Commission in 1923 to assist international criminal police cooperation. ... Bold textralf is gay IOC redirects here. ... The International Organization for Migration is an intergovernmental organization. ... The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) is an international standard-setting body composed of representatives from national standards bodies. ... The Red Cross and the Red Crescent emblems, the symbols from which the Movement derives its name. ... The International Telecommunication Union (ITU; French: Union internationale des télécommunications, Spanish: Unión Internacional de Telecomunicaciones) is an international organization established to standardize and regulate international radio and telecommunications. ... The International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) is the worlds largest trade union federation. ... The Latin American Economic System, officially known as Sistema Económico Latinoamericano (SELA), is an organization founded in 1975 to promote economic cooperation and social development between Latin American countries. ... The Asociación Latinoamericana de Integración (the Latin American Integration Association; known as ALADI or, occasionally, by the English acronym LAIA) is a Latin American trade integration association, based in Montevideo. ... Official Languages Portuguese, Spanish and Guaraní Members  Argentina (1991)  Brazil (1991)  Paraguay (1991)  Uruguay (1991)  Venezuela (2006)2 Associate Members  Bolivia (1997)  Chile (1996)  Colombia (2004)  Ecuador (2004)  Peru (2003) Observer  Mexico (2004)3 Presidency Carlos Chacho Álvarez Seat of Secretariat Montevideo Area 12. ... The Non-Aligned Movement, or NAM is an international organization of over 100 states which consider themselves not formally aligned with or against any major power bloc. ... The Organization of American States (OAS; OEA in the other three official languages) is an international organization, headquartered in Washington, D.C., United States of America. ... The Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) is an agency of the United Nations. ... The Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA), also known as the Hague Tribunal is an international organization based in The Hague in the Netherlands. ... The Rio Group is an international organization of Latin American states. ... The foundation of the U.N. The United Nations (UN) is an international organization whose stated aims are to facilitate co-operation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress and human rights issues. ... The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) was established in 1963 as a permanent intergovernmental body, UNCTAD is the principal organ of the United Nations General Assembly dealing with trade, investment and development issues. ... UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) is a specialized agency of the United Nations established in 1945. ... The purpose of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights involves the promotion and protection of human rights worldwide through direct contact with individual governments and the provision of technical assistance where appropriate. ... United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) is an agency of the United Nations with the mission of helping countries pursue sustainable industrial development, it is a specialist in industrial affairs. ... UNMOGIP or United Nations Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan was set up in 1949 to supervise the ceasefire between India and Pakistan in the State of Jammu and Kashmir. ... The Mission of the United Nations in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), abbreviated MONUC (a French acronym for Mission de l Organisation des Nations Unies en République démocratique du Congo) is a United Nations peacekeeping force established on February 24, 2000, by Resolution 1291 of the United... UNTSO is an acronym for United Nations Truce Supervision Organization, an organization founded in 1948 for peacekeeping in the Middle East. ... The Universal Postal Union (UPU, French: Union postale universelle) is an international organization that coordinates postal policies between member nations, and hence the world-wide postal system. ... The World Customs Organization (WCO) is an intergovernmental organization that helps Members (currently Customs administrations from 169 countries) communicate and co-operate on customs issues. ... The World Federation of Trade Unions (WFTU) was established in the wake of the Second World War to bring together trade unions across the world in a single international organization, much like the United Nations. ... The World Health Organization (WHO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations that acts as a coordinating authority on international public health, headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland. ... Headquarters in Geneva The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) is one of the specialized agencies of the United Nations. ... The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) is an intergovernmental organization with a membership of 187 Member States and Territories. ... World Tourism Organization Building in Madrid The United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) is a United Nations agency dealing with questions relating to tourism. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ...

See also

• President of Chile
• List of political parties in Chile
• Foreign relations of Chile
• Chilean political scandals

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. ... Since its return to democracy in 1990, Chile has been an active participant in the international political arena. ... This is a list of major political scandals in Chile: Scorpion scandal (1809) - A smuggling scandal that caused the fall of the Royal Governor and hastened Chilean Independence Alejandrina Cox incident (1973) - A traffic incident that caused the resignation of the Army Commander-in-chief and hastened the Chilean coup...

External links

• (Spanish) Government of Chile
• (Spanish) National Congress
• (Spanish) Presidency
• (Spanish) Judicial Branch
• PBS NewsHour - Special Report: Politics in Chile

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Organization of American States (OAS)

Antigua and Barbuda • Argentina • Bahamas • Barbados • Belize • Bolivia • Brazil • Canada • Chile • Colombia • Costa Rica • Cuba • Dominica • Dominican Republic • Ecuador • El Salvador • Grenada • Guatemala • Guyana • Haiti • Honduras • Jamaica • Mexico • Nicaragua • Panama • Paraguay • Peru • Saint Lucia • Saint Vincent and the Grenadines • Saint Kitts and Nevis • Suriname • Trinidad and Tobago • United States • Uruguay • Venezuela The Organization of American States (OAS; OEA in the other three official languages) is an international organization, headquartered in Washington, D.C., United States of America. ... Download high resolution version (656x651, 77 KB)Image downloaded from the Organization of American States Photo Gallery, which states: All Photos for free distribution Photographs of official events are available through OAS website and can be used, free of charge, as long as the source is acknowledged. ...