At stake in this election:

• The office of President of Chile

Description of government structure:

• Chief of State: President Sebastian PIÑERA
• Head of Government: President Sebastian PIÑERA
• Assembly: Chile has a bicameral National Congress (Congreso Nacional) consisting of the Senate (Senado) with 38 seats and the Chamber of Deputies (Camara de Diputados) with 120 seats.

Description of electoral system:             

• The President is elected by absolute majority vote through a two-round system to serve a 4-year term. Presidents are allowed to serve unlimited non-consecutive terms.

Election Notes:

• In the first round of voting, Michelle BACHELET won the most votes, but fell short of obtaining an absolute majority. BACHELET received 46.67 percent of the vote in the first round, in comparison to Evelyn MATTHEI, who received 25.01 percent of the vote. The run-off election will be held on December 15, 2013. BACHELET previously served as president from 2006-2010.                                                         

Main Candidates in the First Round of the Presidential race:

• Candidate: Michelle BACHELET[i]
  • Party: Socialist Party of Chile / Partido Socialista de Chile (PS)
• Candidate: Evelyn MATTHEI[ii]
  • Party: Independent Democratic Union / Unión Demócrata Independiente (UDI)

Population and number of registered voters:

• Population: 17,216,945 (July 2013 est.)
• Registered Voters: 13,388,643 (November 2013)[iii]

Gender Data:

·         Female Population: 8,906,407 (2013)

·         Is Chile a signatory to CEDAW: Yes (17 July 1980)

·         Has Chile ratified CEDAW: Yes (7 December 1989)

·         Gender Quota: No

·         Female candidates in this election: No

·         Number of Female Parliamentarians: 19 (Chamber of Deputies); 4 (Senate) (following 2013 parliamentary election)

·         Human Development Index Position: 42 (2014)

·         Social Institutions and Gender Index (SIGI) Categorization: N/A

Disability Data:

·         Is Chile a signatory to CRPD: Yes (30 March 2007)

·         Has Chile ratified CRPD: Yes (29 July 2008)

·         Population with a disability: 2,582,541 (est.)