Chamber:
	Cámara de Diputados
Dates of elections / renewal (from/to):
	11 December 1997
Purpose of elections:
	Elections were held for all the seats in the Chamber of Deputies on the normal expiry of the members' term of office.
Background and outcome of elections:
	Of the five lists and 11 parties vying for seats in the 1997 mid-term congressional elections, the leading contestants were the ruling Coalition for Democracy (CPD) and the main opposition Union for Chile Pact (PUC). Also in the running were the Left List, the Humanist Party and the Chile 2000 Pact. Altogether 521 candidates competed for the 120 Chamber of Deputies seats and 70 for the 20 Senate seats at stake. The campaign was generally lacklustre, marked by voter apathy. President of the Republic Eduardo Frei Ruiz-Tagle (Christian Democratic Party - PDC) urged citizens to cast their votes in support of his Government so as « to let us continue to do our work »; this included continued pursuit of free-market economic policies. Of the votes cast on polling day, a large percentage were invalid. Final results gave the centre-left CPD - in power since 1990 and made up of the PDC, the Party for Democracy (PPD), the Socialist Party (PS) and the Radical Party (PR) - continued command of the Lower House, whereas the right-wing PUC - comprising the Independent Democratic Union (UDI), the National Renewal (RN) and the Party of the South - maintained control of the Senate, owing to the eight appointed members in its ranks. These controversial Senators continued to sit despite repeated CPD calls to change the system and thus, in its eyes, clear the way for it to pass various reform measures. The newly elected Congress will be convened on 11 March. Presidential elections are due in 1999.

STATISTICS

Round no 1 (11 December 1997): Elections results
Number of registered electors	8,077,743
Voters	6,972,530 (86.31%)
Blank or invalid ballot papers	1,238,816
Valid votes	5,733,714

Round no 1: Distribution of votes
Political Group	Candidates	Votes	%
Coalition for Democracy (CPD)	120	2,898,362	50.55
Union for Chile Pact (PUC)	119	2,077,442	36.23
Chile 2 000	25	122,587	2.14
Left List (LI)	86	428,838	7.48
Humanist Party (PH)	90	166,569	2.91
Independents	n.a.	39,916	0.70

Round no 1: Distribution of seats
Political Group	Total
Coalition for Democracy (CPD)	70
Union for Chile Pact (PUC)	47
Chile 2 000	1
Left List (LI)	0
Humanist Party (PH)	0
Independents

Comments:

The Coalition for Democracy (CPD) is composed of the following parties (votes; % of votes; Seats): Christian Democratic Party (PDC): 1,317,441; 22.98; 39 Party for Democracy (PPD): 719,575; 12.55; 16 Socialist Party (PS): 636,357; 11.10; 11 Radical Party (PR)179,701; 3.13; 4 Independents: 45,288; 0.79; 0 The Union for Chile Pact (PUC) is composed of the following parties: National Renovation Party (RN): 962,247; 16.78; 23 Independent Democratic Union (UDI): 827,324; 14.43; 17 Party of South: 20,635; 0.36; 1 Independents: 267,236; 4.66; 6 The Chile 2 000 is composed of the following parties: Progressive Centre Union (UCCP): 68,185; 1.19; 1 Independents: 54,402; 0.95; 0 The Left List (LI) is composed of the following parties: Communist Party: 393,523: 6.86; 0 New Popular Alliance (NAP): 8,947; 0.16; 0 Independents: 26,368; 0.46; 0

Distribution of seats according to sex:
Men:	107
Women:	13
Percent of women:	10.83