Senate of Chile
Encyclopedia
The Senate of the Republic of Chile is the upper house of Chile
's bicameral
National Congress
, as established in the current Constitution of Chile
.
, the Senate is composed of thirty-eight directly elected
senators, chosen by universal popular suffrage vote in 19 senatorial circumscriptions. These serve eight-year terms, with half of them being replaced every fourth year. They must be eligible to vote, have completed secondary school, or its equivalent, and be at least 35 years old.
The Senate sessions at the new (1990) National Congress located in the port city of Valparaíso
, which replaced the old National Congress
located in downtown Santiago
, the nation's capital.
and Augusto Pinochet
, were installed as senators for life. Pinochet later resigned from this position and Frei lost his seat in the 2005 reform. However, Frei remained in the Senate by winning an elective seat.
. The senators were directly nominated by the provinces in agreement with the central government. It functioned from November, 1812 to January, 1814, when it was reorganized to better respond to the problems caused by the successive military defeats at the hands of the advancing Spanish Army.
. It was composed of five titular members and five alternate members selected directly by the Supreme Director. It was supposed to function only when the lower house was not in function or could not meet, and had the power to enact "provisory rules" that had the same effect as laws (hence the "conservative" moniker, because it "conserved" the power.) It functioned from October, 1818 to May, 1822.
Chile
Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
's bicameral
Bicameralism
In the government, bicameralism is the practice of having two legislative or parliamentary chambers. Thus, a bicameral parliament or bicameral legislature is a legislature which consists of two chambers or houses....
National Congress
National Congress of Chile
The National Congress is the legislative branch of the government of the Republic of Chile.The National Congress of Chile was founded on July 4, 1811...
, as established in the current Constitution of Chile
Constitution of Chile
In its temporary dispositions, the document ordered the transition from the former military government, with Augusto Pinochet as President of the Republic, and the Legislative Power of the Military Junta , to a civil one, with a time frame of eight...
.
Composition
According to the present Constitution of ChileConstitution of Chile
In its temporary dispositions, the document ordered the transition from the former military government, with Augusto Pinochet as President of the Republic, and the Legislative Power of the Military Junta , to a civil one, with a time frame of eight...
, the Senate is composed of thirty-eight directly elected
Direct election
Direct election is a term describing a system of choosing political officeholders in which the voters directly cast ballots for the person, persons or political party that they desire to see elected. The method by which the winner or winners of a direct election are chosen depends upon the...
senators, chosen by universal popular suffrage vote in 19 senatorial circumscriptions. These serve eight-year terms, with half of them being replaced every fourth year. They must be eligible to vote, have completed secondary school, or its equivalent, and be at least 35 years old.
The Senate sessions at the new (1990) National Congress located in the port city of Valparaíso
Valparaíso
Valparaíso is a city and commune of Chile, center of its third largest conurbation and one of the country's most important seaports and an increasing cultural center in the Southwest Pacific hemisphere. The city is the capital of the Valparaíso Province and the Valparaíso Region...
, which replaced the old National Congress
Ex Congreso Nacional
The Former National Congress Building is the former home of the Chilean Congress. Congress met in this building in central Santiago until Salvador Allende's socialist government was overthrown by Augusto Pinochet's military coup d'état on September 11, 1973.During the Pinochet dictatorship,...
located in downtown Santiago
Santiago, Chile
Santiago , also known as Santiago de Chile, is the capital and largest city of Chile, and the center of its largest conurbation . It is located in the country's central valley, at an elevation of above mean sea level...
, the nation's capital.
Abolition of the unelected
Amendments to the Constitution, approved by a joint session of Congress on August 16, 2005, eliminated non-directly elected senators from March 11, 2006, the day 20 newly-elected senators were sworn in, leaving the total number of senators at 38, all directly elected. Previously, according to the Constitution of 1980, "designated" or "institutional" senators were appointed to the chamber. Two former heads of state, Eduardo Frei Ruiz-TagleEduardo Frei Ruiz-Tagle
Eduardo Alfredo Juan Bernardo Frei Ruiz-Tagle is a Chilean politician and civil engineer who was President of Chile from 1994 to 2000. He is currently Senator for Los Ríos and was President of the Senate from 2006 to 2008. He attempted a comeback as the candidate of the ruling Concertación...
and Augusto Pinochet
Augusto Pinochet
Augusto José Ramón Pinochet Ugarte, more commonly known as Augusto Pinochet , was a Chilean army general and dictator who assumed power in a coup d'état on 11 September 1973...
, were installed as senators for life. Pinochet later resigned from this position and Frei lost his seat in the 2005 reform. However, Frei remained in the Senate by winning an elective seat.
Historical evolution
The Senate of Chile was created in 1812 to support the formulations of policies of the Government Junta. Since then it has undergone several constitutional reorganizations that have altered the scope of its constitutional powers, its composition and the generation of its members.First senate
Created by Article 7 of the Provisional Constitutional Manual of 1812. It was composed of seven titular members (one for each province) and three alternate members and was supposed to serve as a counter-balance to the executive power of the Government JuntaGovernment Junta of Chile (November 1811)
Government Junta of Chile , also known as the Provisional Junta, was the political structure established to rule Chile following the Military Coup organized by Juan Martínez de Rozas and José Miguel Carrera...
. The senators were directly nominated by the provinces in agreement with the central government. It functioned from November, 1812 to January, 1814, when it was reorganized to better respond to the problems caused by the successive military defeats at the hands of the advancing Spanish Army.
Consultive senate
Created by Article 13 of the Provisional Government Manual of 1814. As its predecessor, it was composed of seven titular members (only) nominated by the provinces in lists of three from which they were selected by the Supreme Director. It functioned from March to July, 1814, when the Spanish Army captured Santiago, putting an end to the Patria Vieja government.First conservative senate
Created by Title III of the Constitution of 1818Constitution of Chile
In its temporary dispositions, the document ordered the transition from the former military government, with Augusto Pinochet as President of the Republic, and the Legislative Power of the Military Junta , to a civil one, with a time frame of eight...
. It was composed of five titular members and five alternate members selected directly by the Supreme Director. It was supposed to function only when the lower house was not in function or could not meet, and had the power to enact "provisory rules" that had the same effect as laws (hence the "conservative" moniker, because it "conserved" the power.) It functioned from October, 1818 to May, 1822.
Political composition (2006-2010)
| Affiliation | Members | % |
|---|---|---|
| Coalition for Change Coalition for Change The Coalition for Change is a presidential and parliamentary electoral coalition that groups the supporters of President Sebastián Piñera for the 2009-2010 Chilean election... (coalition) |
17 | 44.74 |
| Independent Democrat Union Independent Democrat Union The Independent Democrat Union is a Chilean right-wing, conservative political party, founded in 1983. Its main inspirer was the lawyer, politician and law professor Jaime Guzmán, a former senator of the Republic of Chile from 1990 until his assassination on April 1, 1991.Its ideological origins... |
9 | 23.68 |
| National Renewal National Renewal (Chile) National Renewal , is a liberal conservative political party belonging to the Chilean right-wing political coalition Coalition for Change in conjunction with the Independent Democratic Union and the Chile First movement... |
7 | 18.42 |
| ChileFirst | 1 | 2.63 |
| Concertación (coalition) | 15 | 39.47 |
| Socialist Party Socialist Party of Chile The Socialist Party of Chile is a political party, that is part of the center-left Coalition of Parties for Democracy coalition. Its historical leader was the late President of Chile Salvador Allende Gossens, who was deposed by General Pinochet in 1973... |
6 | 15.79 |
| Christian Democrat Party Christian Democrat Party of Chile The Christian Democratic Party is a political party in Chile and governs as part of the Coalition of Parties for Democracy coalition. In the 2009 election it won 19 congress seats and 9 senate seats.... |
5 | 13.16 |
| Social Democrat Radical Party Social Democrat Radical Party The Social Democratic Radical Party is a social democratic party in Chile.The party is a member of Socialist International.... |
3 | 7.89 |
| Party for Democracy Party for Democracy The Party for Democracy is a political party in Chile; it is social democratic in its political orientation. It was founded in December 1987 by Ricardo Lagos, who aimed at forming a legal social democratic party . The party continued to function after the defeat of Pinochet... |
1 | 2.63 |
| Parties not in coalition | 2 | 5.26 |
| Broad Social Movement | 1 | 2.63 |
| Regionalist Party of the Independent | 1 | 2.63 |
| Independent senators | 4 | 10.53 |
| Total | 38 | 100.00 |
| Current Senate composition | ||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||
Senators (2006-2010)
Senate composition from March 11, 2006 to March 11, 2010.| Constituency Electoral division of Chile To elect members of the Chamber of Deputies and of the Senate, Chile is divided into several electoral divisions, namely electoral districts and senatorial constituencies.-Electoral districts:... |
Region | Name | Party !! Last elected | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arica and Parinacota Tarapacá Tarapacá Region The I Tarapacá Region is one of Chile's 15 first order administrative divisions. It borders the Chilean Arica and Parinacota Region to the north, Bolivia's Oruro Department on the east, the Antofagasta Region on the south and the Pacific Ocean on the west. The port city of Iquique The I Tarapacá... |
Fernando Flores Labra Fernando Flores Carlos Fernando Flores Labra is a Chilean engineer, entrepreneur and politician. He is a former cabinet minister of president Salvador Allende and was senator for the Arica and Parinacota and Tarapacá regions between 2001 and 2009... |
CH1 | 2001 |
| Jaime Orpis Bouchon | UDI Independent Democrat Union The Independent Democrat Union is a Chilean right-wing, conservative political party, founded in 1983. Its main inspirer was the lawyer, politician and law professor Jaime Guzmán, a former senator of the Republic of Chile from 1990 until his assassination on April 1, 1991.Its ideological origins... |
2001 | ||
| 2 | Antofagasta Antofagasta Region The II Antofagasta Region is one of Chile's fifteen first-order administrative divisions. It comprises three provinces, Antofagasta, El Loa and Tocopilla... |
Carlos Cantero Ojeda | Ind. | 2005 |
| José Antonio Gómez Urrutia José Antonio Gómez José Antonio Gómez Urrutia is a Chilean lawyer, Social Democrat Radical Party politician and a former Minister of Justice. He is currently a senator and president of his party.-External links:*... |
PRSD | 2005 | ||
| 3 | Atacama Atacama Region The Atacama Region is one of Chile's 15 first order administrative divisions. It comprises three provinces, Chañaral, Copiapó and Huasco. It is bordered to the north by Antofagasta, to the south by Coquimbo, to east with Provinces of Catamarca, La Rioja and San Juan of Argentina, and to west with... |
Ricardo Núñez Muñoz | PS Socialist Party of Chile The Socialist Party of Chile is a political party, that is part of the center-left Coalition of Parties for Democracy coalition. Its historical leader was the late President of Chile Salvador Allende Gossens, who was deposed by General Pinochet in 1973... |
2001 |
| Baldo Prokurica Prokurica (Vice-President, March 12, 2008-March 13, 2009) |
RN National Renewal (Chile) National Renewal , is a liberal conservative political party belonging to the Chilean right-wing political coalition Coalition for Change in conjunction with the Independent Democratic Union and the Chile First movement... |
2001 | ||
| 4 | Coquimbo Coquimbo Region The IV Coquimbo Region is one of Chile's 15 first order administrative divisions. It is some 400 km north of the capital, Santiago.The capital and largest city is La Serena, other important cities include the seaport Coquimbo and the agricultural centre... |
Evelyn Matthei Fornet Evelyn Matthei Evelyn Rose Matthei Fornet is a Chilean economist and politician.Matthei entered Chilean politics in the late '80s and early '90s, as part of the National Renewal party's youth group called Patrulla Juvenil, along the future President of Chile, Sebastián Piñera, and future fellow senator and... |
UDI | 2005 |
| Jorge Pizarro Soto | PDC | 2005 | ||
| 5 | Valparaíso Valparaíso Region The V Valparaíso Region is one of Chile's 15 first order administrative divisions.Valparaíso Region, 2006 With the country's third highest population of 1,539,852 million in 2002 and third smallest area of , the region is Chile's second most densely populated after the Santiago Metropolitan Region... |
Carlos Ominami Pascual (Vice-President, March 11, 2006-March 12, 2008) |
Ind. | 2001 |
| Sergio Romero Pizarro | RN National Renewal (Chile) National Renewal , is a liberal conservative political party belonging to the Chilean right-wing political coalition Coalition for Change in conjunction with the Independent Democratic Union and the Chile First movement... |
2001 | ||
| 6 | Nelson Ávila Contreras | PRSD Social Democrat Radical Party The Social Democratic Radical Party is a social democratic party in Chile.The party is a member of Socialist International.... |
2001 | |
| Jorge Arancibia Reyes | UDI Independent Democrat Union The Independent Democrat Union is a Chilean right-wing, conservative political party, founded in 1983. Its main inspirer was the lawyer, politician and law professor Jaime Guzmán, a former senator of the Republic of Chile from 1990 until his assassination on April 1, 1991.Its ideological origins... |
2001 | ||
| 7 | Santiago Santiago Metropolitan Region Santiago Metropolitan Region or simply Metropolitan Region is one of Chile's 15 first order administrative divisions. It is the country's only landlocked administrative region and contains the nation's capital, Santiago... |
Guido Girardi Lavín Guido Girardi Guido Girardi Lavin is a Chilean physician and politician. He is currently serving the period between 2006 and 2014 as senator for the district No. 7 for Santiago Poniente... |
PPD Party for Democracy The Party for Democracy is a political party in Chile; it is social democratic in its political orientation. It was founded in December 1987 by Ricardo Lagos, who aimed at forming a legal social democratic party . The party continued to function after the defeat of Pinochet... |
2005 |
| Jovino Novoa Vásquez (President, March 13, 2009–present) |
UDI | 2005 | ||
| 8 | Pablo Longueira Montes Pablo Longueira Juan Pablo Longueira Montes in a Chilean right-wing politician, industrial civil engineer and Independent Democrat Union senator . He was previously a deputy . He launched his candidacy for president of Chile on March 30, 2007, but canceled it on May 3, 2007.-External links:* *... |
UDI | 2005 | |
| Soledad Alvear Valenzuela Soledad Alvear María Soledad Alvear Valenzuela , is a Chilean lawyer and Christian Democrat politician, who was a cabinet member of the Aylwin, Frei and Lagos administrations. She was president of the Christian Democrat Party from 2006-2008... |
PDC | 2005 | ||
| 9 | O'Higgins O'Higgins Region The VI O'Higgins Region is one of Chile's 15 first order administrative divisions. It is subdivided into three provinces. It is named in honour of Bernardo O'Higgins Riquelme, one of Chile's founding fathers.... |
Andrés Chadwick Piñera Andrés Chadwick Andrés Pío Bernardino Chadwick Piñera is a Chilean right-winged politician and lawyer, member of the Independent Democrat Union party. Chadwick was elected deputy for the District #33 in 1989, and was re-elected in 1993... |
UDI | 2005 |
| Juan Pablo Letelier Morel | PS Socialist Party of Chile The Socialist Party of Chile is a political party, that is part of the center-left Coalition of Parties for Democracy coalition. Its historical leader was the late President of Chile Salvador Allende Gossens, who was deposed by General Pinochet in 1973... |
2005 | ||
| 10 | Maule Maule Region The VII Maule Region is one of Chile's 15 first order administrative divisions. Its capital is Talca. The region takes its name from the Maule River which, running westward from the Andes, bisects the region and spans a basin of about 20,600 km2... |
Jaime Gazmuri Mujica | PS Socialist Party of Chile The Socialist Party of Chile is a political party, that is part of the center-left Coalition of Parties for Democracy coalition. Its historical leader was the late President of Chile Salvador Allende Gossens, who was deposed by General Pinochet in 1973... |
2001 |
| Juan Antonio Coloma Correa | UDI Independent Democrat Union The Independent Democrat Union is a Chilean right-wing, conservative political party, founded in 1983. Its main inspirer was the lawyer, politician and law professor Jaime Guzmán, a former senator of the Republic of Chile from 1990 until his assassination on April 1, 1991.Its ideological origins... |
2001 | ||
| 11 | Jaime Naranjo Ortiz | PS Socialist Party of Chile The Socialist Party of Chile is a political party, that is part of the center-left Coalition of Parties for Democracy coalition. Its historical leader was the late President of Chile Salvador Allende Gossens, who was deposed by General Pinochet in 1973... |
2001 | |
| Hernán Larraín Fernández Hernán Larraín Hernán Larraín Fernández is a conservative Chilean lawyer, university lecturer, and politician; he is a current Senator and former President of the Senate, and is also currently serving as the president of the Independent Democrat Union. Larraín was elected to the Senate representing the 11th... |
UDI Independent Democrat Union The Independent Democrat Union is a Chilean right-wing, conservative political party, founded in 1983. Its main inspirer was the lawyer, politician and law professor Jaime Guzmán, a former senator of the Republic of Chile from 1990 until his assassination on April 1, 1991.Its ideological origins... |
2001 | ||
| 12 | Biobío | Alejandro Navarro Brain | MAS | 2005 |
| Hosain Sabag Castillo | PDC | 2005 | ||
| 13 | Mariano Ruiz-Esquide Jara | PDC | 2005 | |
| Víctor Pérez Varela | UDI | 2005 | ||
| 14 | Araucanía Araucanía Region The IX Araucanía Region is one of Chile's 15 first order administrative divisions and comprises two provinces: Malleco in the north and Cautín in the south.... |
Roberto Muñoz Barra | Ind. | 2001 |
| Alberto Espina Otero | RN National Renewal (Chile) National Renewal , is a liberal conservative political party belonging to the Chilean right-wing political coalition Coalition for Change in conjunction with the Independent Democratic Union and the Chile First movement... |
2001 | ||
| 15 | Guillermo Vásquez Úbeda | PRSD Social Democrat Radical Party The Social Democratic Radical Party is a social democratic party in Chile.The party is a member of Socialist International.... |
2005 | |
| José García Ruminot | RN National Renewal (Chile) National Renewal , is a liberal conservative political party belonging to the Chilean right-wing political coalition Coalition for Change in conjunction with the Independent Democratic Union and the Chile First movement... |
2001 | ||
| 16 | Los Ríos Los Ríos Region The XIV Los Ríos Region is one of Chile's 15 first order administrative divisions. Its capital is Valdivia. Pop. 356,396 . It began to operate as region on October 2, 2007. It was created by subdividing the Los Lagos Region in southern Chile... (plus District 55 Electoral division of Chile To elect members of the Chamber of Deputies and of the Senate, Chile is divided into several electoral divisions, namely electoral districts and senatorial constituencies.-Electoral districts:... ) |
Andrés Allamand Zavala Andrés Allamand Andrés Allamand Zavala , a Chilean politician, is the founder and one of the past leaders of Renovación Nacional, currently in power. He is of French, and Basque descent. On January 14, 2011 he was named Minister of Defense by president Sebastián Piñera. He was sworn in on January 16,... |
RN National Renewal (Chile) National Renewal , is a liberal conservative political party belonging to the Chilean right-wing political coalition Coalition for Change in conjunction with the Independent Democratic Union and the Chile First movement... |
2005 |
| Eduardo Frei Ruiz-Tagle Eduardo Frei Ruiz-Tagle Eduardo Alfredo Juan Bernardo Frei Ruiz-Tagle is a Chilean politician and civil engineer who was President of Chile from 1994 to 2000. He is currently Senator for Los Ríos and was President of the Senate from 2006 to 2008. He attempted a comeback as the candidate of the ruling Concertación... (President, March 11, 2006-March 12, 2008) |
PDC | 2005 | ||
| 17 | Los Lagos Los Lagos Region Los Lagos Region is one of Chile's 15 regions, which are first order administrative divisions, and comprises four provinces: Chiloé, Llanquihue, Osorno and Palena. The region contains the country's second largest island, Chiloé, and the second largest lake, Llanquihue.Its capital is Puerto Montt;... (minus District 55 Electoral division of Chile To elect members of the Chamber of Deputies and of the Senate, Chile is divided into several electoral divisions, namely electoral districts and senatorial constituencies.-Electoral districts:... ) |
Camilo Escalona Medina | PS Socialist Party of Chile The Socialist Party of Chile is a political party, that is part of the center-left Coalition of Parties for Democracy coalition. Its historical leader was the late President of Chile Salvador Allende Gossens, who was deposed by General Pinochet in 1973... |
2005 |
| Carlos Kuschel Silva | RN National Renewal (Chile) National Renewal , is a liberal conservative political party belonging to the Chilean right-wing political coalition Coalition for Change in conjunction with the Independent Democratic Union and the Chile First movement... |
2005 | ||
| 18 | Aisén | Adolfo Zaldívar Larraín Adolfo Zaldívar Miguel Adolfo Gerardo Zaldívar Larraín is a Chilean politician and lawyer. He is currently senator for Aisén and since March 2008 he has been President of the Senate. He was a historic member of the Christian Democratic Party until his expulsion in December 2007.Zaldívar is married to María Alicia... (President, March 12, 2008-March 13, 2009) |
PRI | 2001 |
| Antonio Horvath Kiss | RN National Renewal (Chile) National Renewal , is a liberal conservative political party belonging to the Chilean right-wing political coalition Coalition for Change in conjunction with the Independent Democratic Union and the Chile First movement... |
2001 | ||
| 19 | Magallanes Magallanes y la Antártica Chilena Region The XII Magallanes and Antártica Chilena Region is one of Chile's 15 first order administrative divisions... |
Carlos Bianchi Chelech (Vice-President, March 13, 2009–present) |
Ind. | 2005 |
| Pedro Muñoz Aburto | PS Socialist Party of Chile The Socialist Party of Chile is a political party, that is part of the center-left Coalition of Parties for Democracy coalition. Its historical leader was the late President of Chile Salvador Allende Gossens, who was deposed by General Pinochet in 1973... |
2005 |
See also
- President of the Senate of ChilePresident of the Senate of ChileThe President of the Senate of Chile is the highest authority of the Senate of Chile. The position comes after the Ministers of State in the line of succession of the President of Chile in the case of temporary incapacitation or vacancy ....
- National Congress of ChileNational Congress of ChileThe National Congress is the legislative branch of the government of the Republic of Chile.The National Congress of Chile was founded on July 4, 1811...
- Chamber of Deputies of ChileChamber of Deputies of ChileThe Chamber of Deputies of the Republic of Chile is the lower house of Chile's bicameral Congress. Its organisation and its powers and duties are defined in articles 42 to 59 of Chile's current constitution....