Michelle Bachelet poised for return to Chilean presidency

Source: Guardian

Michelle Bachelet poised for return to Chilean presidency

Bachelet expected to win runoff vote against conservative Evelyn Matthei and succeed Sebastián Piñera as president

Associated Press in Santiago
theguardian.com, Sunday 15 December 2013 11.46 EST

Michelle Bachelet is almost certain to win Chile's presidential runoff on Sunday, riding a wave of hope that brought millions of Chileans to the streets in recent years demanding education reform, environmental protection and a reduction in income inequality.

But concerns of a low turnout worried Bachelet, who needs a strong mandate to make good on her promises. "This is an important day and I hope people can come and participate and through their vote give a clear expression of the kind of Chile where they want to continue to live," she said after voting in Santiago. "The changes we need can't be produced through scepticism."

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Many Chileans blame policies imposed by Augusto Pinochet's 1973-1990 dictatorship for keeping wealth and power in few hands. Pinochet effectively ended land reform by selling off the nation's water, and preserved the best education for elites by ending the central control and funding of public schools.

Polls showed Bachelet's rival, the conservative former finance minister Evelyn Matthei, was likely to suffer a bruising defeat because of her past support for Pinochet and her ties to the outgoing president, Sebastián Piñera.

Read more: http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/dec/15/michelle-bachelet-chile-presidential-runoff