MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Chile's presidential primary July 31

Chile's ruling coalition Concertación Democrática will be holding primary elections next July 31 to decide on its presidential candidate for December elections.

This was agreed by a special Committee with representatives from all parties belonging to the ruling coalition which has been in power since Chile returned to democracy in 1990.

Leading to the primaries, candidates will participate in two national debates in April and July, plus eleven regional debates, with exact dates to be agreed.

"Besides the dates, Concertación has proved that we can agree, even when we have our differences. We're now on track and heading for the big objective which is having Concertación win again and defeating the right wing candidate, Mr. Joaquín Lavín", said Senator Fernando Flores from the special Committee.

Actually two are the ruling coalition candidates, and both women, Christian Democrat Soledad Alvear, junior partner of the coalition, and Michelle Bachelet from the leading Socialist party. One of them will be facing Mr. Joaquin Lavin next December 12.

Last March 17, Christian Democrats decided on a "reflection pause" and abandoned the special Committee following statements from President Ricardo Lagos who insinuated that he preferred Ms. Bachelet as his successor.

Both candidates apparently reacted favourably to the agenda set out by the Committee. If one of the ladies finally makes it to the Palacio de la Moneda it will represent a significant advance for a conservative country where domestic violence is common and women earn much less than men.

"Women are seen as more honest, more concerned about the poor and more democratic", said Maria de los Angeles Fernandez a political scientist at Diego Portales University. Many Chilean women are hoping the candidacies could prove a significant step in drawing attention to women's issues in this predominantly Catholic country that only last year passed a watered down bill admitting divorce.

Ms. Bachelet, 52, is a doctor, member of the Socialist Party of Salvador Allende, the president violently ousted in the 1973 coup led by General Augusto Pinochet. She is the daughter of an Air Force general who was arrested and tortured for opposing Pinochet's military regime. She and her mother were briefly jailed before being forced into exiled during the 17 year dictatorship. Still she says she harbors no hard feelings towards the military. Ms. Bachelet developed a close relationship with the top commanders under President Ricardo Lagos who in a surprise move appointed her Defence minister a couple of years ago. She resigned last December to seek the presidential nomination.

Ms. Alvear, 54, is a lawyer with extensive public service background. As head of the country's first head of Women Affairs she built a ministry; as Justice Minister she implemented the modernization of the country's justice system and as Foreign Affairs Minister she successfully negotiated free trade accords with the United States, European Union, South Korea, Mexico and Canada.

Both pre candidates have pledged to keep the free market economic polices that have helped transform Chile into one of the strongest economies in Latinamerica. Similarly they have both promised special attention for the poor which still constitute a significant proportion of Chilean population in spite of the sustained growth of the country.