Chile Set For Run-off Elections

Chile was set for a run-off second round election next month after no candidate won more than 50% of the vote in Sunday’s elections. The results after counting just over 10% of the votes gave Bachelet the lead with 44.76%; followed by Sebastián Piñera (National Renewal Party) with 26.73%; Joaquín Lavín (Democratic Independent Unity) with 23.52% and far-left candidate Tomás Hirsch with 4.96%. The favorite to win is Michelle Bachelet, former defense minister and ruling party candidate, who would become the country’s first female president. She will face either Joaquín Lavín or Sebastián Piñera in the second round on 15 January. Sunday’s elections saw a high turn out as Chileans voted to elect all 120 members of Congress and 20 out of 38 senators, as well as their next president.