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| Chile awaits poll run-off result | |
| (about 9 hours later) | |
| Polls have closed in Chile's presidential run-off, which could see the first conservative government for more than two decades. | |
| Billionaire Sebastian Pinera won 44% of the vote in last month's first round, well ahead of Eduardo Frei of the governing Social Democrats. | |
| But opinion polls suggest the outcome of the second round will be very close. | But opinion polls suggest the outcome of the second round will be very close. |
| Chile's last conservative leader was military ruler Gen Augusto Pinochet, who stepped down in 1990. | Chile's last conservative leader was military ruler Gen Augusto Pinochet, who stepped down in 1990. |
| Mr Frei, 67, is seeking his second term as president after an absence of 10 years. | Mr Frei, 67, is seeking his second term as president after an absence of 10 years. |
| Mr Pinera, 60, owns a television channel, a stake in Chile's most successful football club and has millions of dollars in investments. | 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 programme and has vowed to use his business know-how to reactivate the economy. | He has campaigned on a tough law-and-order programme and has vowed to use his business know-how to reactivate the economy. |
| 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 outgoing Socialist president Michelle Bachelet. Under the constitution she cannot stand for re-election. | In 2006, he lost to the outgoing Socialist president Michelle Bachelet. Under the constitution she cannot stand for re-election. |
| She will leave office in March with a high approval ratings as a result of policies to tackle poverty and use Chile's all-important copper exports to offset the effects of the global economic crisis. | She will leave office in March with a high approval ratings as a result of policies to tackle poverty and use Chile's all-important copper exports to offset the effects of the global economic crisis. |
| Mr Frei has promised a continuation and deepening of many of her policies. | Mr Frei has promised a continuation and deepening of many of her policies. |