In the presidential election, former president Michelle Bachelet fell short of the absolute majority needed for an outright win.

In the runoff election, held on 15 December, she beat former senator and Minister of Labor Evelyn Matthei with over 62% of the vote, with turnout significantly lower than in the first round.

These were the first presidential and parliamentary elections in which all eligible voters were automatically enrolled, and where voting was no longer mandatory.

[1][2] In December 2012 a law was published allowing political parties or coalitions to define their candidates for president in government-run primary elections.

The first debate was organized by ANP (National Press Association) and CNN Chile and took place in Coquimbo's Enjoy Casino on 9 October.

It was moderated by Archi president Luis Pardo and included four radio journalists: Sergio Campos (Cooperativa), Cony Stipicic (Duna), Mauricio Bustamente (Infinita) and Alejandro de la Carrera (Agricultura).

The journalists for the first day were Constanza Santa María (Canal 13), Soledad Onetto (Mega) and Claudio Elórtegui (UCV-TV); while the journalists for the second day were Beatriz Sánchez (La Red), Iván Núñez (Chilevisión) and Mauricio Bustamante (TVN).

Matthei did however compare her politices that of German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Bachelet's to that of the former East Germany.

They also failed to get a two-thirds majority to restructure the 1981 constitution of Chile enacted during the Augusto Pinochet regime.

Wake Forest political science Professor Peter Siavelis suggested: "The [congressional elections] result will surely be disappointing for Bachelet.

"[43] The Washington Post said that Bachelet's "legacy now rides on her ability to craft a coalition for far-reaching structural and particularly political reform."