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Bachelet First, Lavín Second in Chile’s Capital
(Angus Reid Global Scan) - Former defence minister Michelle Bachelet continues to lead all Chilean presidential candidates in Santiago, according to a poll by Impakta Consultores. 41 per cent of respondents in the capital city would support the Socialist Party (PS) member in this year's election.
Former Santiago mayor Joaquín Lavín of the conservative Independent Democratic Union (UDI) is second with 21 per cent, followed by businessman Sebastián Piñera of National Renewal (RN) with 20 per cent and Tomás Hirsch of the leftist Together We Can (JP) with two per cent.
The Agreement of Parties for Democracy (CPD)—which includes the PS, the Christian-Democratic Party of Chile (PCD), the Party for Democracy (PD) and the Radical Social-Democratic Party (PRSD)—officially nominated Bachelet on Jul. 31.
Lavín lost the 2000 run-off to current head of state Ricardo Lagos of the CPD by 2.6 per cent. The presidential election is scheduled for Dec. 11. If no candidate garners more than 50 per cent of all cast ballots, the top two finishers will participate in a second round.
On Aug. 31, Lavín, Piñera and Hirsch agreed to participate in a televised debate. Hirsch said the candidates "have always spoken about the need for a debate, with all the contenders." Bachelet is expected to join the public meeting.
Bachelet is the daughter of an air force general who was executed after opposing dictator Augusto Pinochet in the 1970s. Chile has never had a female head of state. In two possible run-off scenarios, Bachelet leads Piñera by 15 points, and Lavín by 26 points.
Santiago is home to nearly a third of Chile's eligible voters.
Polling Data
Which candidate would you vote for in the presidential election?
Michelle Bachelet (CPD) | 41% |
Joaquín Lavín (UDI) | 21% |
Sebastián Piñera (RN) | 20% |
Tomás Hirsch (JP) | 2% |
Run-Off Scenarios
Michelle Bachelet (CPD) 53% - 38% Sebastián Piñera (RN)
Michelle Bachelet (CPD) 59% - 33% Joaquín Lavín (UDI)
Source: Impakta Consultores
Methodology: Telephone interviews to 900 Chilean adults in the Santiago Metropolitan Area, conducted from Aug. 18 to Aug. 25, 2005. Margin of error is 3.3 per cent.