| Parliament name (generic / translated) |
Congreso Nacional / National Congress |
| Structure of parliament |
Bicameral |
| Chamber name (generic / translated) |
Senado / Senate |
| Related chamber (for bicameral parliaments) |
Cámara de Diputados / Chamber of Deputies
|
| BACKGROUND |
| Dates of election / renewal (from/to) |
17 November 2013 |
| Purpose of elections |
The New Majority (Nueva Mayoria) coalition, supporting the candidacy of former President Michelle Bachelet (Socialist Party) in the presidential elections, took a majority in both chambers of Congress. It won 67 seats in the 120-member Chamber of Deputies and 12 of the 20 seats at stake, for a total of 21 seats in the 38-member Senate. The Alliance coalition came second in both chambers, winning 49 seats in the Chamber and seven Senate seats, where it now holds a total of 16 seats. The Alliance backed Ms. Evelyn Matthei (Independent Democratic Union), former Minister of Labor and Social Security under the outgoing President Sebastián Pinera, as its presidential candidate.
The New Majority coalition pledged to reduce the gap between rich and poor. Ms. Bachelet promised to offer free university education by raising taxes. The Alliance coalition ran on the government's record, citing reduced unemployment and poverty. Ms. Bachelet defeated Ms. Matthei in the run-off presidential elections held on 15 December.
Note:
The 2013 elections were held in November, in lieu of December in accordance with Law 20.568 of 31 January 2012 which stipulates "Elections of Deputies and Senators will be held jointly but with separate ballots the third Sunday of November of the year preceding the one when the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate are up for renewal". They are not considered early elections. |
Date of previous elections: 13 December 2009
Date of dissolution of the outgoing legislature: N/A
Timing of election: Upon normal expiry
Expected date of next elections: November 2017
Number of seats at stake: 20 (partial renewal)
Number of candidates: 67 (55 men, 12 women)
Percentage of women candidates: 17.91%
Number of parties contesting the election: 5
Number of parties winning seats: 2
Date of the first session of the new parliament: 11 March 2014
Name of the new Speaker: Ms. Allende Isabel (Socialist Party) |
| STATISTICS |
| Voter turnout |
| Round no 1 | 17 November 2013 |
Number of registered electors
Voters
Blank or invalid ballot papers
Valid votes |
|
|
Notes
|
|
| Distribution of seats |
|
Round no 1
|
| Political Group |
Total
|
Seats 2013 |
|
|
|
| New Majority |
21
|
12 |
|
|
|
| Alliance |
16
|
7 |
|
|
|
| Independents |
1
|
1 |
|
|
|
|
| Distribution of seats according to sex |
Men
Women
Percent of women |
16
4
20.00%
|
| Distribution of seats according to age |
|
|
|
| Distribution of seats according to profession |
|
|
| Comments |
Sources:
Senate: 01.01.2015
http://presidenciales.servel.cl/Resultados/index.html
Biblioteca del Congreso Nacional (06.12.2013)
Note: Four of the 20 Senators elected in 2013 were women. As at 6 December 2013, there were seven women out of the total 38 senators.
Note on the distribution of seats:
- The New Majority coalition comprised the Socialist Party (PS), the Christian Democrat Party of Chile (PDC), the Party for Democracy (PPD) and the Radical Social-Democratic Party (PRSD), the Communist Party and the Broad Socialist Movement (MAS).
- The Alliance comprised the Independent Democratic Union (UDI) and the National Renovation Party (RN).
In accordance with the amendments to the electoral law governing automatic registration, modifying the electoral service and modernizing the voting system (Ley 20568 REGULA LA INSCRIPCIÓN AUTOMÁTICA, MODIFICA EL SERVICIO ELECTORAL Y MODERNIZA EL SISTEMA DE VOTACIONES ), which came into force on 31 January 2012, passive voter registration was applied for the first time to the 2013 congressional elections. Based on the same amendments, voting is no longer compulsory. |
Compare data for parliamentary chambers in the Last elections module
