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| Chile Votes for a New President, but With Little Enthusiasm | Chile Votes for a New President, but With Little Enthusiasm |
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| SANTIAGO — Chileans cast ballots on Sunday to elect a successor to President Michelle Bachelet, choosing from among an ideologically diverse array of eight candidates, including former President Sebastián Piñera, who was leading in the latest vote count by at least 10 points. | SANTIAGO — Chileans cast ballots on Sunday to elect a successor to President Michelle Bachelet, choosing from among an ideologically diverse array of eight candidates, including former President Sebastián Piñera, who was leading in the latest vote count by at least 10 points. |
| No candidate was expected to win the absolute majority required to avoid a second round of voting, which would take place Dec. 17. Mr. Piñera, 67, a conservative billionaire businessman, appeared likely to face off against a center-left journalist and former news anchor, Alejandro Guillier, 64. | |
| Coming in a close third may be another journalist with no political experience who became well known for her acid political critiques on radio and television, Beatriz Sánchez, 46, representing the leftist coalition Frente Amplio. | Coming in a close third may be another journalist with no political experience who became well known for her acid political critiques on radio and television, Beatriz Sánchez, 46, representing the leftist coalition Frente Amplio. |
| The election is the first under new electoral rules that limit campaign spending and impose greater transparency on it. The rules also make voting voluntary and allow for more proportional representation in Congress. And they grant Chileans living abroad the right to vote, though only 11 percent of those eligible to vote in 62 countries registered to do so. | The election is the first under new electoral rules that limit campaign spending and impose greater transparency on it. The rules also make voting voluntary and allow for more proportional representation in Congress. And they grant Chileans living abroad the right to vote, though only 11 percent of those eligible to vote in 62 countries registered to do so. |
| Voter turnout Sunday morning appeared very heavy in parts of Santiago, the capital, but analysts said they expected high abstention levels, in keeping with a consistent fall in electoral participation since the return to democracy in Chile in 1990 after 17 years of military dictatorship. | Voter turnout Sunday morning appeared very heavy in parts of Santiago, the capital, but analysts said they expected high abstention levels, in keeping with a consistent fall in electoral participation since the return to democracy in Chile in 1990 after 17 years of military dictatorship. |
| Marta Lagos, director of the polling group Latinobarómetro, said low voter turnout could be explained in large part by a general view that politicians are corrupt and public institutions are not to be trusted, she said. | |
| Four members of Congress have been stripped of immunity from prosecution and dozens of politicians, their associates and relatives are being investigated for illegal campaign financing in earlier elections, influence-peddling and other white-collar crimes. | |
| “People are disappointed with our democracy,” Ms. Lagos said. “Parties and politicians have been totally discredited, and there is a widespread perception that all politicians are corrupt demons, that there is no one to vote for. | “People are disappointed with our democracy,” Ms. Lagos said. “Parties and politicians have been totally discredited, and there is a widespread perception that all politicians are corrupt demons, that there is no one to vote for. |
| “People want a major transformation of the political system and corrupt politicians put in jail, and maybe then they will get out and vote.” | “People want a major transformation of the political system and corrupt politicians put in jail, and maybe then they will get out and vote.” |
| On Sunday morning, a group of demonstrators forced their way into Mr. Piñera’s campaign center to protest the elections. More than 20 were arrested. In the Araucanía region, about 400 miles from Santiago, the capital, unidentified individuals intercepted a bus that was going to transport voters from rural areas to voting places and set it on fire. | On Sunday morning, a group of demonstrators forced their way into Mr. Piñera’s campaign center to protest the elections. More than 20 were arrested. In the Araucanía region, about 400 miles from Santiago, the capital, unidentified individuals intercepted a bus that was going to transport voters from rural areas to voting places and set it on fire. |
| Both the right-wing opposition and the governing coalition, New Majority, have two candidates competing against each other for the presidency. Mr. Piñera is flanked to the right by José Antonio Kast, an ultrarightist who proposes actions like building a physical barrier along Chile’s northern border with Peru and Bolivia, withdrawing from international treaties and organizations, and abolishing a recently approved law permitting abortions in some cases. | Both the right-wing opposition and the governing coalition, New Majority, have two candidates competing against each other for the presidency. Mr. Piñera is flanked to the right by José Antonio Kast, an ultrarightist who proposes actions like building a physical barrier along Chile’s northern border with Peru and Bolivia, withdrawing from international treaties and organizations, and abolishing a recently approved law permitting abortions in some cases. |
| Against all predictions, Mr. Kast was so far drawing about eight percent of the vote. | Against all predictions, Mr. Kast was so far drawing about eight percent of the vote. |
| Mr. Guillier was competing with a political ally, Carolina Goic, of the more conservative wing of the centrist Christian Democratic party. The remaining three candidates are all to the political left of Mr. Guillier. | Mr. Guillier was competing with a political ally, Carolina Goic, of the more conservative wing of the centrist Christian Democratic party. The remaining three candidates are all to the political left of Mr. Guillier. |
| If Mr. Piñera and Mr. Guillier go on to a second round in December, they will have to cater to the electorate of their former competitors to win. The surge from the left, more relevant than in any other presidential elections since 1990, may change the political map, or at least influence the agenda of the future president. | If Mr. Piñera and Mr. Guillier go on to a second round in December, they will have to cater to the electorate of their former competitors to win. The surge from the left, more relevant than in any other presidential elections since 1990, may change the political map, or at least influence the agenda of the future president. |
| For the first time, political power may not be wielded solely by the two major coalitions that have governed Chile since the end of military rule. | For the first time, political power may not be wielded solely by the two major coalitions that have governed Chile since the end of military rule. |
| “We’ve been living in a democracy full of constraints, with the same politicians in government and Congress for too many years,” said Patricia Bravo, a 56-year old drug rehabilitation therapist who supports Ms. Sánchez. “They already fulfilled their role, which was to transit towards democracy, but it is time to change. This election is an opportunity to start anew.” | “We’ve been living in a democracy full of constraints, with the same politicians in government and Congress for too many years,” said Patricia Bravo, a 56-year old drug rehabilitation therapist who supports Ms. Sánchez. “They already fulfilled their role, which was to transit towards democracy, but it is time to change. This election is an opportunity to start anew.” |
| Ms. Bachelet will finish her four year term in March 2018. Under Chile’s Constitution, she cannot run for immediate re-election. Battered by criticism, sagging popular support and a high-profile corruption case involving her son and daughter-in-law, Ms. Bachelet has publicly vowed that she will not seek any elected office in Chile in the future. | Ms. Bachelet will finish her four year term in March 2018. Under Chile’s Constitution, she cannot run for immediate re-election. Battered by criticism, sagging popular support and a high-profile corruption case involving her son and daughter-in-law, Ms. Bachelet has publicly vowed that she will not seek any elected office in Chile in the future. |