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| Chile tycoon 'wins' first round | |
| (about 16 hours later) | |
| Early results in Chile's presidential elections put billionaire Sebastian Pinera ahead, but without the majority needed to avoid a second round. | |
| The centre-right businessman has 44% of the vote, with 60% of ballots counted. | |
| He is up against three left and centre-left candidates - Eduardo Frei, Marco Enriquez-Ominami and Jorge Arrate. | He is up against three left and centre-left candidates - Eduardo Frei, Marco Enriquez-Ominami and Jorge Arrate. |
| BBC correspondents say the signs are that the country is likely to shift to the right, after 20 years of centre-left rule. | |
| If no-one manages to get 50% of the vote in the first round, the two leading candidates will go through to a run-off on 17 January. | |
| The early results show that Mr Frei has 30%, with the other two candidates trailing badly. | |
| CHILE'S PRESIDENTIAL HOPEFULS Sebastian Pinera - centre-right businessman, lost to Michelle Bachelet in 2006 presidential raceEduardo Frei - candidate of the ruling centre-left coalition; served as president 1994-2000Marco Enriquez-Ominami - independent set to split centre-left vote; former film directorJorge Arrate - veteran Socialist, has support of Communist Party | CHILE'S PRESIDENTIAL HOPEFULS Sebastian Pinera - centre-right businessman, lost to Michelle Bachelet in 2006 presidential raceEduardo Frei - candidate of the ruling centre-left coalition; served as president 1994-2000Marco Enriquez-Ominami - independent set to split centre-left vote; former film directorJorge Arrate - veteran Socialist, has support of Communist Party |
| Mr Frei, 67, is seeking his second term as president after an absence of 10 years. | |
| Around eight million Chileans have been voting in the election. | |
| Mr Pinera, 60, owns a television channel, a stake in Chile's most successful football club and has millions of dollars in investments. | |
| He has campaigned on a tough law-and-order ticket and has also vowed to use his business know-how to reactivate the economy, promising Chileans an annual growth rate of 6% for the next four years. | He has campaigned on a tough law-and-order ticket and has also vowed to use his business know-how to reactivate the economy, promising Chileans an annual growth rate of 6% for the next four years. |
| The BBC's Gideon Long in Santiago says he looks certain to win Sunday's ballot. | The BBC's Gideon Long in Santiago says he looks certain to win Sunday's ballot. |
| The big question, our correspondent says, is whether Mr Pinera can reach the crucial 50% mark which would secure outright victory and give Chile its first conservative government since 1990, when strongman Gen Augusto Pinochet finally relinquished power. | The big question, our correspondent says, is whether Mr Pinera can reach the crucial 50% mark which would secure outright victory and give Chile its first conservative government since 1990, when strongman Gen Augusto Pinochet finally relinquished power. |
| The poll could lead to a run off in January. | |
| This is the second time Mr Pinera has run for the presidency at the head of a centre-right coalition. | This is the second time Mr Pinera has run for the presidency at the head of a centre-right coalition. |
| In 2006, he lost to the extremely popular outgoing Socialist president, Michelle Bachelet. | In 2006, he lost to the extremely popular outgoing Socialist president, Michelle Bachelet. |
| But under the constitution she cannot stand for re-election, and her candidate, Mr Frei, is struggling to emulate her popularity. | But under the constitution she cannot stand for re-election, and her candidate, Mr Frei, is struggling to emulate her popularity. |
| The third candidate is Marco Enriquez-Ominami, a 36-year-old independent who has emerged from nowhere and split the centre-left vote. | The third candidate is Marco Enriquez-Ominami, a 36-year-old independent who has emerged from nowhere and split the centre-left vote. |
| He says Chile needs a new face and new ideas in the presidential palace, after two decades of the same coalition. | He says Chile needs a new face and new ideas in the presidential palace, after two decades of the same coalition. |
| The fourth candidate, and rank outsider, is Jorge Arrate, a veteran Socialist who has the support of Chile's Communist Party. | The fourth candidate, and rank outsider, is Jorge Arrate, a veteran Socialist who has the support of Chile's Communist Party. |
| The centre-left has been split by in-fighting, and many Chileans appear to be ready for a change, our correspondent says. | The centre-left has been split by in-fighting, and many Chileans appear to be ready for a change, our correspondent says. |
| If Mr Pinera is successful, it will mark the first time in 51 years that the conservatives have taken power in Chile via the ballot box. | If Mr Pinera is successful, it will mark the first time in 51 years that the conservatives have taken power in Chile via the ballot box. |
| Are you in Chile? What outcome are you hoping for? How important is this election for the country? Send us your comments using the form below. | |
| The BBC may edit your comments and not all emails will be published. Your comments may be published on any BBC media worldwide. Terms & Conditions | The BBC may edit your comments and not all emails will be published. Your comments may be published on any BBC media worldwide. Terms & Conditions |