Chile votes a new president

Chileans vote for new president
Last Updated Sun, 15 Jan 2006 09:32:04 EST
CBC News
People in Chile are voting in a presidential election on Sunday, and early polls suggest that for the first time they could choose a woman to lead the country.

They're deciding between Sebastian Pinea, a conservative billionaire businessman, and Michelle Bachelet, a single mother and pediatrician.


Chilean presidential candidate Michelle Bachelet (AP file photo)
Bachelet has been defence minister for three years under the centre-left coalition Concertacion that has governed Chile since Gen. Augusto Pinochet's military regime was ousted in 1990.

Bachelet won 46 per cent of votes last month, but it was not enough for an outright victory.

The race has been a close one, but if the campaign closing events were any indication of the way Sunday's vote will go, front-runner Bachelet could clinch a victory.

About 200,000 people packed the streets of Santiago on Thursday for free concerts and her final speech in which she promised to follow in the footsteps of popular outgoing president Ricardo Lagos.

About 12,000 supporters turned out for Pinera's final campaign stop in his stronghold, the port city of Valparaiso.

The female vote will be key for the election; a majority of women surveyed have indicated they'll back Bachelet.