First polls close in Chile's tight presidential election - Summary

Sun, 13 Dec 2009

Santiago - The first polling stations closed Sunday in Chile's presidential election, which was poised to be historic as the center-left alliance that has ruled since the restoration of democracy in 1990 could lose power. With about 8 million Chileans registered to vote, the first polling stations closed at 2000 GMT, with all voting over two hours later. There is no prescribed closing time for voting in Chile, with polling stations required to remain open for at least nine hours.

The first preliminary official results were to be made public later Sunday.

According to opinion polls, the ruling Concertacion - a coalition of Socialists and Christian-Democrats with two smaller parties - is facing a second-place finish and an uncertain fate in a potential run-off, despite the huge popularity of outgoing President Michelle Bachelet.

Conservative multimillionaire Sebastian Pinera, 60, was widely regarded as the favorite to win the first round of voting, with forecasts predicting an estimated 35-40 per cent of the vote.

"A message of hope for all Chileans: Better times are coming for Chile and for Chileans," Pinera said as he cast his ballot.

Centre-left Senator Eduardo Frei, 67, who previously governed Chile from 1994-2000, was predicted to get 25-30 per cent, with minority leftist candidate Marco Enriquez-Ominani, 36, polling around 20 per cent, according to surveys ahead of the vote.

It seemed unlikely that any of the candidates would obtain an absolute majority, and with it the presidency, in the first round of voting. If no candidate wins outright, the top two will contest a second round on January 17, followed by the inauguration of a new president for a four-year term on March 11.

Bachelet, the first Chilean woman ever to hold the presidency, has an approval rating of almost 80 per cent as she approaches the end of her four-year mandate. Chilean law forbids immediate re-election, but observers think Bachelet will target a return in 2014.

"Chile will as always show the world that it is a country that respects democracy, that respects peace," Bachelet said as she cast her ballot.