<hdr>The World Factbook 1994: Chile<nl>Government</hdr><body>
<list>
<item><hi format=bold>Names:</hi>
<list style=hang>
<item>• <hi format=ital>conventional long form:</hi> Republic of Chile
<item>• <hi format=ital>conventional short form:</hi> Chile
<item>• <hi format=ital>local long form:</hi> Republica de Chile
<item>• <hi format=ital>local short form:</hi> Chile
</list>
<item><hi format=bold>Digraph:</hi> CI
<item><hi format=bold>Type:</hi> republic
<item><hi format=bold>Capital:</hi> Santiago
<item><hi format=bold>Administrative divisions:</hi> 13 regions (regiones, singular—region); Aisen del General Carlos Ibanez del Campo, Antofagasta, Araucania, Atacama, Bio-Bio, Coquimbo, Libertador General Bernardo O'Higgins, Los Lagos, Magallanes y de la Antartica Chilena, Maule, Region Metropolitana, Tarapaca, Valparaiso
<list style=hang>
<item>• <hi format=ital>note:</hi> the US does not recognize claims to Antarctica
</list>
<item><hi format=bold>Independence:</hi> 18 September 1810 (from Spain)
<item><hi format=bold>National holiday:</hi> Independence Day, 18 September (1810)
<item><hi format=bold>Constitution:</hi> 11 September 1980, effective 11 March 1981; amended 30 July 1989
<item><hi format=bold>Legal system:</hi> based on Code of 1857 derived from Spanish law and subsequent codes influenced by French and Austrian law; judicial review of legislative acts in the Supreme Court; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
<item><hi format=bold>Suffrage:</hi> 18 years of age; universal and compulsory
<item><hi format=bold>Executive branch:</hi>
<list style=hang>
<item>• <hi format=ital>chief of state and head of government:</hi> President Eduardo FREI Ruiz-Tagle (since 11 March 1994) election last held 11 December 1993 (next to be held December 1999); results—Eduardo FREI Ruiz-Tagle (PDC) 58%, Arturo ALESSANDRI 24.4%, other 17.6%
<item>• <hi format=ital>cabinet:</hi> Cabinet; appointed by the president
</list>
<item><hi format=bold>Legislative branch:</hi> bicameral National Congress (Congreso Nacional)
<item><hi format=bold>Senate (Senado):</hi> election last held 11 December 1993 (next to be held December 1997); results—percent of vote by party NA; seats—(46 total, 38 elected) Concertation of Parties for Democracy 21 (PDC 13, PS 4, PPD 3, PR 1), Union for the Progress of Chile 15 (RN 11, UDI 3, UCC 1), right-wing independents 10
<item><hi format=bold>Chamber of Deputies (Camara de Diputados):</hi> election last held 11 December 1993 (next to be held December 1997); results—Concertation of Parties for Democracy 53.95% (PDC 27.16%, PS 12.01%, PPD 11.82%, PR 2.96%,); Union for the Progress of Chile 30.57% (RN 15.25%, UDI 12.13%, UCC 3.19%); seats—(120 total) Concertation of Parties for Democracy 70 (PDC 37, PPD 15, PR 2, PS 15, left-wing independent 1), Union for the Progress of Chile 47 (RN 30, UDI 15, UCC 2), right-wing independents 3
<item><hi format=bold>Political parties and leaders:</hi> Concertation of Parties for Democracy consists mainly of four parties: Christian Democratic Party (PDC), Gutenberg MARTINEZ; Socialist Party (PS), Camilo ESCALONA; Party for Democracy (PPD), Victor Manuel REBOLLEDO; Radical Party (PR), Carlos GONZALEZ Marquez; Union for the Progress of Chile consists mainly of three parties: National Renewal (RN), Andres ALLAMAND; Independent Democratic Union (UDI), Jovino NOVOA; Center Center Union (UCC), Francisco Javier ERRAZURIZ
<item><hi format=bold>Other political or pressure groups:</hi> revitalized university student federations at all major universities; labor—United Labor Central (CUT) includes trade unionists from the country's five largest labor confederations; Roman Catholic Church
<item><hi format=bold>Flag:</hi> two equal horizontal bands of white (top) and red; there is a blue square the same height as the white band at the hoist-side end of the white band; the square bears a white five-pointed star in the center; design was based on the US flag