The first female president of Chile. How does one explain the triumph of Michelle Bachelet in the 2005-2006 elections?
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Date
2008
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LATIN AMER STUDIES ASSOC
Abstract
For the first time in Chile, a woman triumphed in the presidential elections. We suggest that Bachelet's victory is explained, primarily, by her personal attributes. Chileans perceived her as the most trustworthy candidate and as one they could relate to, and they valued her qualifications as a possible governor. Furthermore, she was helped by a political and economic environment derived from her association with President Ricardo Lagos and the positive economic growth that Chile experienced during his administration. A crucial theme that spans the breadth of the article is that of "gender solidarity," which maintains that female support was a determinant in Bachelet's triumph. This is corroborated by polls on voting intentions and also by the final, municipal-level electoral results.
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Keywords
INCUMBENCY ADVANTAGE, GENDER, GOVERNMENT, CANDIDATES, WOMENS, VOTE