MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Chilean presidential mandate cut to four years.

The Chilean Senate voted to cut the presidential mandate, beginning 2006, from six to four years without the chance of immediate re-election.

The constitutional amendment was passed by 31 votes, with 15 against and one abstention. This, together with the reduction of mayors and councillors mandate, still to be voted is one of the ten constitutional amendments under Congressional discussion following a majority political agreement on the issue. The constitutional amendment needs a 3/5 Senate approval, that is at least 29 members.

Regarding mayors and councillors elected in last Sunday's municipal election, their mandate is to be reduced, transitorily, from four to three years.

The purposes of the new Chilean electoral calendar it to have two clearly defined voting periods: mayors and councillors, and President of the country and Congress.

The current Chilean constitution, a legacy from the military regime under dictator General Augusto Pinochet includes among other non democratic recourses, for life Senators (former presidents and Commanders in Chief of the four services), a Security Council with majority of military components, an electoral system that ensures the (conservative) opposition a seat in each district.

Although civilian rule returned to Chile in 1990 it was not until this year with President Ricardo Lagos that a political understanding was reached with the conservative opposition for the implementation of ten constitutional amendments.

Previous elected presidents had attempted some changes but failed given the strong presence of the military in Chile even after 1990.

However Mr. Pinochet's difficulties when he was arrested in 1998 in Britain and early this year when allegedly unaccounted bank deposits with millions of dollars belonging to the family where discovered in Washington, helped the conservative opposition to distance herself from this ever growing controversial figure in recent Chilean history.

President Ricardo Lagos during a brief visit to Punta Arenas said he was satisfied with the reduction of the presidential term, "which is part of the package of constitutional reforms".

Mr. Lagos will be the last president to spend six years in La Moneda. His predecessor Eduardo Frei also has a six year mandate but Patricio Aylwin the first president of the ruling coalition when the return of civil rule in Chile had a four years mandate.