Chamber:
	Senado de la República
Dates of elections / renewal (from/to):
	11 December 1997
Purpose of elections:
	Elections were held for one-half (20) of the elective seats in the Senate on the normal expiry of the members' term of office.
Background and outcome of elections:
	Of the five lists and 11 parties vying for seats in the 1997 mid-term congressional elections, the leading contestants were the ruling Coalition for Democracy (CPD) and the main opposition Union for Chile Pact (PUC). Also in the running were the Left List, the Humanist Party and the Chile 2000 Pact. Altogether 521 candidates competed for the 120 Chamber of Deputies seats and 70 for the 20 Senate seats at stake. The campaign was generally lacklustre, marked by voter apathy. President of the Republic Eduardo Frei Ruiz-Tagle (Christian Democratic Party - PDC) urged citizens to cast their votes in support of his Government so as « to let us continue to do our work »; this included continued pursuit of free-market economic policies. Of the votes cast on polling day, a large percentage were invalid. Final results gave the centre-left CPD - in power since 1990 and made up of the PDC, the Party for Democracy (PPD), the Socialist Party (PS) and the Radical Party (PR) - continued command of the Lower House, whereas the right-wing PUC - comprising the Independent Democratic Union (UDI), the National Renewal (RN) and the Party of the South - maintained control of the Senate, owing to the eight appointed members in its ranks. These controversial Senators continued to sit despite repeated CPD calls to change the system and thus, in its eyes, clear the way for it to pass various reform measures. The newly elected Congress will be convened on 11 March. Presidential elections are due in 1999.

STATISTICS

Round no 1 (11 December 1997): Elections results
Number of registered electors	8,077,743
Voters	5,037,930 (62.36%)
Blank or invalid ballot papers	853,483
Valid votes	4,184,447

Round no 1: Distribution of votes
Political Group	Votes	%
Coalition for Democracy (CPD)	2,089,368	49.93
Union for Chile Pact (PUC)	1,531,855	36.62
Chile 2 000	109,797	2.62
Left List (LI)	360,547	8.62
Humanist Party (PH)	92,880	2.22

Round no 1: Distribution of seats
Political Group	Total	Seats 1997
Coalition for Democracy (CPD)	20	11
Union for Chile Pact (PUC)	17	9
Chile 2 000	1	0
Left List (LI)	0	0
Humanist Party (PH)	0	0

Comments:

The Coalition for Democracy (CPD)is composed of the following parties (votes; % of votes; Seats in 1997; total seats): Christian Democratic Party (PDC): 1,223,495; 29.24;10; 14 Party for Democracy (PPD): 180,468; 4.31;0; 2 Socialist Party (PS): 609,725; 14.57; 1; 4 Radical Party (PR): 75,680; 1.81;0; 0 The Union for Chile Pact (PUC)is composed of the following parties: National Renovation Party (RN): 620,799; 14.84; 2; 7 Independent Democratic Union (UDI): 717,919; 17.16; 3 Independents: 193,137; 4.62;4; 5 The Chile 2 000 coalition is composed of the following parties: Progressive Centre Union (UCCP): 17,725; 0.42;0; 1 Independents: 92,072; 2.20; 0; 0 The Left List (LI) is composed of the following parties: Communist Party: 352,327; 8.42; 0; 0 Independents: 8,220; 0.20; 0; 0

Distribution of seats according to sex:
Men:	46
Women:	2
Percent of women:	4.17