1952 Chilean presidential election

Electoral system

The election was held using the absolute majority system, under which a candidate had to receive over 50% of the popular vote to be elected. If no candidate received over 50% of the vote, both houses of the National Congress would come together to vote on the two candidates who received the most votes.

Candidates

Pedro Enrique Alfonso

Alfonso was the candidate of the Radical Party, and was also supported by the social democratic parties. His government would have become the fourth consecutive Radical administration, since Pedro Aguirre Cerda was elected president.

Salvador Allende

Allende, a senator, was the candidate of the Socialist Party, and was running for president for the first time. He had the support of the banned Communist Party. Allende would run three more times, winning in 1970.

Carlos Ibáñez del Campo

Former president Ibáñez was an independent senator for Santiago, and was attempting to reach the presidency, once again, by popular vote. He had the support of several minor parties, including the Socialist Popular Party and the Agrarian Labor Party.

Arturo Matte

Matte was a Liberal Party senator supported by the Liberal and Conservative parties. He was finance minister under the administration of Juan Antonio Ríos.

Results

Since none of the candidates received an absolute majority of the popular votes cast on 4 September, in keeping with the 1925 Constitution a plenary session of both houses of Congress was convened to choose between the two leading candidates on 24 October. The members of Congress selected Ibáñez (who had received a greater share of the popular vote) over Matte.

References

References

1. [[Dieter Nohlen]] (2005) ''Elections in the Americas: A data handbook, Volume II'', p262 {{ISBN. 978-0-19-928358-3
2. Nohlen, p259
3. (25 October 1952). "Don Carlos Ibáñez fue proclamado Presidente Electo". [[La Nación (Chile).