Parliamentary elections were held in Chile on 4 March 1973, They resulted in a victory for the Confederation of Democracy, an opposition alliance led by the National Party and the Christian Democratic Party. However, they were unable to secure the necessary two-thirds majority in the Senate to remove President Salvador Allende from office.
The approval of Law No. 17,284 in 1970 led to a rise in voter participation. These elections marked the implementation of the reform on a nationwide scale, resulting in the highest level of voter engagement within the previous democratic system. Around 80.6% of the electorate (equivalent to 44% of the national population) were registered to vote, and 81% of the registered voters (approximately 3.7 million individuals) exercised their right to vote.
Background.
Since the early 1960s, the Chilean economy had experienced sustained inflationary growth, which continued under the Salvador Allende government and was considered a major factor in the economic crisis of 1972. In response to inflation, the government implemented the Vuskovic plan, aiming to increase state control over the economy. Measures included nationalizing companies and setting official prices through central planning. These interventions resulted in low wages, product shortages and the emergence of a black market.
Additionally, the high inflation led to dissatisfaction among the upper and middle classes, as there was a significant expropriation of companies towards the private sector. This dissatisfaction culminated in the October 1972 strike, which aimed to halt expropriations, establish market-adjusted prices, and protect private property. The government faced numerous social demonstrations against its policies and the high cost of living. The right-wing and the Christian Democratic Party largely supported and participated in these mobilizations, aiming to discredit the government's policies, socially isolate them, and pressure for policy changes and the government's resignation.
On another front, the Allende government continued the agrarian reform initiated by previous administrations but on a larger scale. More than six million hectares of land were expropriated and distributed among thousands of peasants and small landowners in rural Chile. This led to increased social and political divisions within the country, as different social groups had contrasting views on the government's measures and progress. The discontent caused by these policies further polarized Chilean society. Ultimately, the country became divided into two major blocs, leading to a tense and polarized political climate.
Electoral system.
The term length for Senators was eight years, with around half of the Senators elected every four years. This election saw 25 of the 50 Senate seats up for election.
Political parties and electoral pacts.
Before the elections several political parties underwent internal divisions and splintered into smaller factions. While the majority of Christian Democrats led the Freiist faction, other groups formed the Popular Unitary Action Movement (MAPU) and the Christian Left, which later joined the Popular Unity. Dissident radicals from the central leadership divided into two factions, Radical Democracy, a traditional right-wing group, and the Radical Left Party, a moderate social democratic faction that initially supported Allende but later became opposition in 1972.
In anticipation of the elections, the Confederation of Democracy was established in July 1972. It was a coalition comprising center and right-wing parties including the Christian Democrats, National Party, Radical Party, Radical Democracy, and the National Democratic Party, all opposed to Popular Unity. Apart from these two primary electoral pacts, the Popular Socialist Union, a small left-wing group that had split from the Socialist Party, also participated in the elections.
Opinion polls.
The political, social, and economic crisis gave an apparent advantage to the opposition. The polls predicted a favorable outcome for them, ranging between 58% and 62%. The election results, therefore, presented a dual scenario: while the opposition retained the majority, the Popular Unity had obtained more votes than expected, reaching 44.03% against the CODE's 55.70%. Despite being referred to as a surprising result, the truth was that the percentage of votes achieved by the left-wing coalition was practically the same as what the same parties had obtained in the parliamentary elections of 1969 (43.84%). The resulting balance of power would prevent the Senate from constitutionally accusing President Allende.
Conduct.
Following the elections, allegations of electoral fraud emerged. A thorough investigation by the Faculty of Law at the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile revealed significant electoral fraud, estimated to involve approximately 200,000 votes. This fraudulent activity was based on the use of false registrations and manipulation of records. The allegations were examined by an Investigative Commission in the Chamber of Deputies, which was established on 24 July but ceased its operations when Congress was dissolved after the 11 September coup d'état. Nevertheless, during a session of the Commission for the Study of the New Constitution, it was recognized that the Electoral Registers were practically ineffective and in need of purification. Consequently, the registers were declared void by Decree Law No. 130 on 19 November 1973. New registers were opened in 1987.
References.
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