Conservative Party (Chile)
Encyclopedia
The Conservative Party of Chile
was one of the principal Chilean political parties since its foundation in 1836 until 1949, when it broke apart. In 1953 it reformed as the United Conservative Party
and in 1966 joined with the Liberal Party
to form the National Party
. The Conservative Party was a center-right party, originally created to be the clericalist
, pro-Catholic Church group.
' government on January 28, 1823. The Chilean political situation during those years was divided into six main groups: the pelucones, conservatives who supported authority and stability over personal freedoms; the pipiolos, who supported personal freedoms even over stability; the liberales, moderates who supported personal freedoms; the federalistas, mainly liberales and pipiolos who also supported a federalist system similar to that of the United States
; the o'higginistas, supporters of O'Higgins, who had gone into exile; and the carrerinos, supported of O'Higgins' old enemy José Miguel Carrera
, who had been executed in Argentina
.
After the abdication of O'Higgins, the new government of liberal Ramón Freire called for new parliamentary elections. These were won by moderates, who obtained 31 seats out of 58. The pelucones received only 4 seats, and were therefore the smallest group in Congress. In the next election, which took place in 1824, the pelucones made significant gains. They won 21 seats out of 58 in the Chamber of Deputies, becoming the second-largest group after the pipiolos. The pelucones gained control of the Chamber in 1825, when they won eight more seats. The pipiolos, however, maintained hold over the Senate.
Freire resigned on 1826, but his successor, the politically neutral admiral Manuel Blanco Encalada
, was unable to govern because of a hostile Congress. In 1827, the pelucones lost control of the Chamber, and the pipiolos appointed Freire to the presidency once more. Freire resigned almost immediately and was replaced by Vicepresident Francisco Antonio Pinto
, a liberal.
Pinto's government wrote a new Constitution, which stated that presidents were to be elected by a system of electors similar to that of the United States today. The candidate which received the second majority was to become vicepresident. Parliamentary and presidential elections were held on 1829. Pinto was reelected as president and the liberals (pipiolos and liberales) won control of Congress. Francisco Ruiz-Tagle
, a pelucón, received the second majority in the presidential election and therefore should have become vicepresident. The liberal Congress, however, refused to accept Ruiz-Tagle as vicepresident and instead named a liberal, Joaquín Vicuña
, to that position.
This civil war saw the rise of a new group, the estanqueros, moderates who wanted an end to the political instability. This group was led by Diego Portales
and became allied to the pelucón forces which finally defeated the liberals, led by former president Ramón Freire, in the Battle of Lircay of 1830. The next year, presidential elections were held and won by José Joaquín Prieto
, an ex-o'higginista sympathetic to the pelucones who had led the conservative forces in Lircay.
Prieto's government was dominated by influential Minister Diego Portales. Portales convinced Prieto to establish a commission to draft a new constitution. This constitution
was completed and put into effect in 1833. It contained numerous authoritarian elements but nevertheless guaranteed a few essential liberties. Also under Portales' advise, Prieto declared war on the Peru-Bolivian Confederation
, who had backed a failed anti-government revolt. Although Portales was assassinated before the war was over, Chile defeated the confederation, which was dissolved. This brought the pelucones a huge amount of popularity.
This popularity was reflected in the 1834 parliamentary elections, in which the pelucones received 49 seats out of 63 in the Chamber of Deputies and 10 seats of out 20 in the Senate, thus gaining control of all of Congress. Prieto was easily reelected to another five year term on 1836. In 1841, the conservative candidate, Manuel Bulnes
was elected to the presidency and reelected again in 1846. Throughout Prieto and Bulnes' presidencies, the pelucones maintained control of Congress.
, the conservative candidate was Manuel Montt
. He triumphed, but many conservatives were unhappy with him and accused him of anticlericalism. In 1851, the Conservative Party was officially formed by the anti-Montt pelucones. Although Montt won reelection in 1856, the Conservative Party defeated his National Party
in the parliamentary elections of 1858.
The Conservative, National, and Liberal
parties all agreed to support José Joaquín Pérez
, a national, in the 1861 presidential election
. In the parliamentary elections that year, however, the conservative lost control of Congress, finishing in third-place after the Nationals and Liberals.
Some conservatives refused to support Pérez for reelection in 1866
, instead supporting the ailing Manuel Bulnes
, who was defeated. The liberals won Congress in 1867. The Conservative and Liberal Parties then created the Liberal-Conservative Fusion, which brought Federico Errázuriz Zañartu
to the presidency in 1871
.
The alliance soon broke down, however. The liberals began employing electoral fraud in order to maintain their control over the government. There were no opposition candidates in the presidential elections of 1876
, 1881
or 1886
. Thanks to electoral fraud, liberals maintained complete control over Congress. In once instance liberal President Domingo Santa María
even admitted fraud was occurring, stating that "I have been accused of electoral intervention. I have intervened. I belong to the old school and participate in electoral intervention because I want an efficient, disciplined Parliament. [...] I cannot allow the legacy of Portales, Bulnes, Montt and Errázuriz to be destroyed."
As a result, the Conservative Party was unable to participate in government until 1891. That year, president José Manuel Balmaceda
's fights with Congress had reached a climax and he decided to dissolve Congress. In response, Congress impeached Balmaceda. The Congressional forces, helped mainly by the Navy, set up an alternative government led by Jorge Montt
in Iquique
. After a series of Congressional victories, they reached Santiago
and deposed Balmaceda, who fled to the Argentine embassy and committed suicide.
parties, and won unanimously. In the first free and clean parliamentary elections since almost a half-century, the Conservative Party won the majority of the seats in the Chamber of Deputies, but won only 4 seats out of 32 in the Senate. The Congressional forces established what became known as the "Parliamentary Republic". The president became little more than a figurehead, and Congress' power grew immensely.
The Conservative Party won all of Congress in 1894, but their candidate, Pedro Montt
, lost in the 1901 presidential election
. Throughout the Parliamentary Republic period, the Conservatives were one of the dominant parties in Congress. Nevertheless, the excessive power of the legislative body made government ineffective in the eyes of many, leading to the crisis of the 1920s.
During this period, the conservatives joined with other small like-minded groups to form the alliance known as the Coalition. The Coalition candidate in the contentious 1915 presidential election
, Juan Luis Sanfuentes
, won with just a little more than 50% of the vote.
, the Conservative Party teamed up with a group of dissident liberals to form the National Union alliance. Their candidate in the elections was the liberal Luis Barros Borgoño
, who competed with Arturo Alessandri
of the Liberal Alliance. The election was very violent and in the end Barros won the popular vote but Alessandri won the electoral vote (a situation similar to the 2000 election
in the USA). Finally, a special tribunal declared Alessandri the victor by a single electoral vote. The next year, however, conservatives won control of Congress.
The inefficiency of government angered many Chileans, particularly in the army. Finally, in 1924, the army revolted and Alessandri resigned. A junta, led by Luis Altamirano
, governed until 1925, when General Carlos Ibáñez and Commodore Marmaduque Grove
led a counter-coup that deposed Altamirano and brought Alessandri back. The traditional political parties, including the conservatives played no part in these coups. Alessandri resigned once more in 1925 because of the excessive power wielded by General Ibáñez.
The Conservatives, Liberals, and Radicals all agreed to support Emiliano Figueroa
in the 1925 presidential election
. Figueroa won with an overwhelming 71%. Nevertheless, Ibáñez's pressure led to Figueroa's resignation as well, and in 1927 new elections were held. The Conservative Party chose not to participate, and Ibáñez won with 98%.
During Ibáñez's dictatorship, Congress was dissolved. Finally, in 1930, Ibáñez called the political party leaders for a meeting in the Chillán
thermal baths, a popular tourist destination. To avoid a victory by his opponents, Ibáñez asked each party to nominate potential Congressmen. Then, Ibáñez himself appointed a Chamber of Deputies and a Senate. In this Congress, known as the "Thermal Congress" because of the place where it was decided on, the Conservatives received only 24 seats in the Chamber out of 133. In the Senate, they got 10 out of 42.
Ibáñez was unable to solve the problems caused by the Great Depression
and fled the country in 1931. Conservatives, Liberals, and Radicals all agreed to support Juan Esteban Montero
(a Radical) in the presidential election
. Montero won, but was likewise unable to solve Chile's economic problems. In the end even his own party abandoned him. Supported only by the Liberals and Conservatives, Montero was deposed by a military coup led by socialist Commodore Marmaduque Grove
. Grove was deposed in a counter-coup led by radical Carlos Dávila
. Amid the political turmoil, Dávila resigned and was replaced by Bartolomé Blanche
, who restored democracy.
Presidential elections
were held on 1932. The Conservative Party candidate, Héctor Rodríguez
finished in third place with only 14% of the vote. Nevertheless, the winner, Arturo Alessandri, was also a right-winger and received the Conservative Party's support during his presidency.
During Alessandri's presidency, a social-Christian faction of the Conservative Party became more powerful. Finally, in 1935, they broke away and created the Falange Nacional (National Palanx), which was to give way to the Christian Democrat Party of Chile
.
, the right-wing candidate, Gustavo Ross, supported by the Liberal and Conservative Parties, was defeated by Pedro Aguirre Cerda
. Conservatives and Liberals were by now very similar ideologically, but they refused to unite. Additionally, despite the formation of the Falange Nacional, some social-Christians remained in the Conservative Party.
The 1942 presidential election
were another divisive moment for the right. Both the Conservative and Liberal parties agreed to support the candidacy of Carlos Ibáñez. However, the pro-Alessandri elements in both parties refused to do so, arguing Ibáñez was an ambitious former dictator. These groups broke away and formed the Movimiento Liberal Antifascista (Liberal Anti-Fascist Movement), and supported the left-wing candidate Juan Antonio Ríos
, who won.
The Liberal and Conservative parties were unable to agree ona single candidate for the 1946 presidential election
. The Conservatives presented Eduardo Cruz-Coke
, who finished in second-place after radical Gabriel González Videla
. During González's presidency, the Conservatives enjoyed a brief stay in power when González broke with the communists that had supported him.
In 1949, the Conservative Party ceased to exist. The social-Christian elements created the Social Christian Conservative Party
and their opponents created the Traditionalist Conservative Party. In the 1952 presidential election
, the Traditionalist Conservatives and the Liberal Party presented Arturo Matte as their candidate, while the Falange Nacional, the Radical Party, and the Social Christian Conservative Party supported Pedro Alfonso
. Both lost to independent Carlos Ibáñez.
. The other half of the Social Christian Conservatives joined with the Falange Nacional in 1957 and formed the Christian Democrat Party
.
The United Conservative Party and the Liberal Party backed independent Jorge Alessandri
in the 1958 presidential election
. He triumphed with 32%, defeating socialist Salvador Allende
and Christian Democrat Eduardo Frei Montalva
. In the parliamentary elections, however, the conservatives did not do well. In 1961, they won only 17 seats of out 150 in the Chamber and zero seats in the Senate. In 1965, the right-wing suffered a historic low. In the Chamber, Conservatives and Liberals won only 3 seats each, and in the Senate the Liberals won 1 seat and the Conservatives none.
In response to this huge loss, the conservatives and liberals united to form the National Party
in 1966, under which they staged a political comeback in the next election.
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...
was one of the principal Chilean political parties since its foundation in 1836 until 1949, when it broke apart. In 1953 it reformed as the United Conservative Party
United Conservative Party
The United Conservative Party was a right-wing Chilean party founded in December 1953 after the merger of the Traditionalist Conservative Party and parts of the Social Christian Conservative Party, issued from the Conservative Party. It supported for the 1958 presidential election the candidacy of...
and in 1966 joined with the Liberal Party
Liberal Party (Chile)
The Liberal Party of Chile was a Chilean political party created by a faction of pipiolos in 1849. After the conservative victory in the Chilean Civil War of 1829 the liberals became the principal opposition party to the Conservative Party...
to form the National Party
National Party (Chile) (1966-1973)
See also National Party .The National Party of Chile was a Chilean political party formed by the union of the United Conservative Party, the United Liberal Party and the Partido Acción Nacional .It represented...
. The Conservative Party was a center-right party, originally created to be the clericalist
Clericalism
Clericalism is the application of the formal, church-based, leadership or opinion of ordained clergy in matters of either the church or broader political and sociocultural import...
, pro-Catholic Church group.
Origins: 1823-1829
The Conservative Party's origins go back to the fall of Bernardo O'HigginsBernardo O'Higgins
Bernardo O'Higgins Riquelme was a Chilean independence leader who, together with José de San Martín, freed Chile from Spanish rule in the Chilean War of Independence. Although he was the second Supreme Director of Chile , he is considered one of Chile's founding fathers, as he was the first holder...
' government on January 28, 1823. The Chilean political situation during those years was divided into six main groups: the pelucones, conservatives who supported authority and stability over personal freedoms; the pipiolos, who supported personal freedoms even over stability; the liberales, moderates who supported personal freedoms; the federalistas, mainly liberales and pipiolos who also supported a federalist system similar to that of the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
; the o'higginistas, supporters of O'Higgins, who had gone into exile; and the carrerinos, supported of O'Higgins' old enemy José Miguel Carrera
José Miguel Carrera
José Miguel Carrera Verdugo was a Chilean general, member of the prominent Carrera family, and considered one of the founders of independent Chile. Carrera was the most important leader of the Chilean War of Independence during the period of the Patria Vieja...
, who had been executed in Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
.
After the abdication of O'Higgins, the new government of liberal Ramón Freire called for new parliamentary elections. These were won by moderates, who obtained 31 seats out of 58. The pelucones received only 4 seats, and were therefore the smallest group in Congress. In the next election, which took place in 1824, the pelucones made significant gains. They won 21 seats out of 58 in the Chamber of Deputies, becoming the second-largest group after the pipiolos. The pelucones gained control of the Chamber in 1825, when they won eight more seats. The pipiolos, however, maintained hold over the Senate.
Freire resigned on 1826, but his successor, the politically neutral admiral Manuel Blanco Encalada
Manuel Blanco Encalada
Manuel José Blanco y Calvo de Encalada was a Vice-Admiral in the Chilean Navy, a political figure, and Chile's first President .-Biography:...
, was unable to govern because of a hostile Congress. In 1827, the pelucones lost control of the Chamber, and the pipiolos appointed Freire to the presidency once more. Freire resigned almost immediately and was replaced by Vicepresident Francisco Antonio Pinto
Francisco Antonio Pinto
Francisco Antonio Pinto y Díaz de la Puente was a Chilean political figure. He was twice President of Chile between 1827 and 1829.-Early life:He was born in Santiago, the son of Joaquín Pinto and Mercedes Díaz de la Puente...
, a liberal.
Pinto's government wrote a new Constitution, which stated that presidents were to be elected by a system of electors similar to that of the United States today. The candidate which received the second majority was to become vicepresident. Parliamentary and presidential elections were held on 1829. Pinto was reelected as president and the liberals (pipiolos and liberales) won control of Congress. Francisco Ruiz-Tagle
Francisco Ruiz-Tagle
Francisco Antonio Pascual de la Ascensión Ruiz de Tagle y Portales was a Chilean political figure. In 1830, he was briefly president of the country. Provisional President of Republic of Chile elected by Congress.-Biography:...
, a pelucón, received the second majority in the presidential election and therefore should have become vicepresident. The liberal Congress, however, refused to accept Ruiz-Tagle as vicepresident and instead named a liberal, Joaquín Vicuña
Joaquín Vicuña
José Joaquín Vicuña Larraín was a Chilean politician whose selection as vice president by Congress precipitated the Chilean Civil War of 1829. He was of Basque descent....
, to that position.
In power: 1830-1851
Furious with this violation of the Constitution, the pelucones began a revolt against the liberal-dominated government. President Pinto resigned and Vicuña refused to accept the vicepresidency. A series of provisional presidents succeeded Pinto, each of them unable to quell the pelucón revolt.This civil war saw the rise of a new group, the estanqueros, moderates who wanted an end to the political instability. This group was led by Diego Portales
Diego Portales
Diego José Pedro Víctor Portales Palazuelos was a Chilean statesman and entrepreneur. As a minister of president José Joaquín Prieto Diego Portales played a pivotal role in shaping the state and government politics in the 19th century, delivering with the Constitution of 1833 the framework of the...
and became allied to the pelucón forces which finally defeated the liberals, led by former president Ramón Freire, in the Battle of Lircay of 1830. The next year, presidential elections were held and won by José Joaquín Prieto
José Joaquín Prieto
José Joaquín Prieto Vial was a Chilean military and political figure. He was twice President of Chile between 1831 and 1841. José Joaquín Prieto was of Spanish and Basque descent.-Early life:...
, an ex-o'higginista sympathetic to the pelucones who had led the conservative forces in Lircay.
Prieto's government was dominated by influential Minister Diego Portales. Portales convinced Prieto to establish a commission to draft a new constitution. This constitution
Chilean Constitution of 1833
thumb|right|200px|Painting of Diego Portales. The Constitution of 1833 has been seen as the embodiement of the "Portalian thought".The Constitution of 1833 was the constitution used in Chile from 1833 to 1925 when it was replaced by the Constitution of 1925...
was completed and put into effect in 1833. It contained numerous authoritarian elements but nevertheless guaranteed a few essential liberties. Also under Portales' advise, Prieto declared war on the Peru-Bolivian Confederation
Peru-Bolivian Confederation
The Peru–Bolivian Confederation was a short-lived confederate state that existed in South America between 1836 and 1839. Its first and only head of state, titled Supreme Protector, was the Bolivian president, Marshal Andrés de Santa Cruz....
, who had backed a failed anti-government revolt. Although Portales was assassinated before the war was over, Chile defeated the confederation, which was dissolved. This brought the pelucones a huge amount of popularity.
This popularity was reflected in the 1834 parliamentary elections, in which the pelucones received 49 seats out of 63 in the Chamber of Deputies and 10 seats of out 20 in the Senate, thus gaining control of all of Congress. Prieto was easily reelected to another five year term on 1836. In 1841, the conservative candidate, Manuel Bulnes
Manuel Bulnes
-Sources:* Juan B. Alberdi, Biografia de general Bulnes...
was elected to the presidency and reelected again in 1846. Throughout Prieto and Bulnes' presidencies, the pelucones maintained control of Congress.
Opposition: 1851-1891
In the 1851 presidential electionChilean presidential election, 1851
The Chilean presidential election of 1851 took place through a system of electors, and resulted in the election as President of Manuel Montt. Montt was the first non-military president....
, the conservative candidate was Manuel Montt
Manuel Montt
Manuel Francisco Antonio Julián Montt Torres was a Chilean statesman and scholar. He was twice elected President of Chile between 1851 and 1861.-Biography:...
. He triumphed, but many conservatives were unhappy with him and accused him of anticlericalism. In 1851, the Conservative Party was officially formed by the anti-Montt pelucones. Although Montt won reelection in 1856, the Conservative Party defeated his National Party
National Party (Chile) (1857-1933)
The National Party of Chile, also known as the Montt-Varist Party was a Chilean political party formed in 1857 by the supporters of President Manuel Montt and Interior Minister Antonio Varas. The National Party had a liberal ideology and was primarily supported by businessmen and bankers,...
in the parliamentary elections of 1858.
The Conservative, National, and Liberal
Liberal Party (Chile)
The Liberal Party of Chile was a Chilean political party created by a faction of pipiolos in 1849. After the conservative victory in the Chilean Civil War of 1829 the liberals became the principal opposition party to the Conservative Party...
parties all agreed to support José Joaquín Pérez
José Joaquín Pérez
José Joaquín Pérez Mascayano was a Chilean political figure. He served as the president of Chile between 1861 and 1871....
, a national, in the 1861 presidential election
Chilean presidential election, 1861
The Chilean presidential election of 1861 took place through a system of electors, and resulted in the election as President of José Joaquín Pérez.Pérez was a "unity" candidate between the conservatives and liberals. He won the election unanimously....
. In the parliamentary elections that year, however, the conservative lost control of Congress, finishing in third-place after the Nationals and Liberals.
Some conservatives refused to support Pérez for reelection in 1866
Chilean presidential election, 1866
The Chilean presidential election of 1866 took place through a system of electors, and resulted in the election as President of José Joaquín Pérez.-Results:-References:#...
, instead supporting the ailing Manuel Bulnes
Manuel Bulnes
-Sources:* Juan B. Alberdi, Biografia de general Bulnes...
, who was defeated. The liberals won Congress in 1867. The Conservative and Liberal Parties then created the Liberal-Conservative Fusion, which brought Federico Errázuriz Zañartu
Federico Errázuriz Zañartu
Federico Marcos del Rosario Errázuriz Zañartu was a Chilean political figure. He served as the president of Chile between 1871 and 1876. He was born in Santiago in 1825 and died there in 1877. Errázuriz was of Basque descent....
to the presidency in 1871
Chilean presidential election, 1871
The Chilean presidential election of 1871 took place through a system of electors, and resulted in the election as President of Federico Errázuriz Zañartu.-Results:-References:#...
.
The alliance soon broke down, however. The liberals began employing electoral fraud in order to maintain their control over the government. There were no opposition candidates in the presidential elections of 1876
Chilean presidential election, 1876
The Chilean presidential election of 1876 took place through a system of electors, and resulted in the election as President of Aníbal Pinto, who was the sole candidate.-Results:-References:#...
, 1881
Chilean presidential election, 1881
The Chilean presidential election of 1881 took place through a system of electors, and resulted in the election as President of Domingo Santa María, who was the sole candidate.-Results:-References:#...
or 1886
Chilean presidential election, 1886
The Chilean presidential election of 1886 took place through a system of electors, and resulted in the election as President of José Manuel Balmaceda, who was the sole candidate.-Results:-References:#...
. Thanks to electoral fraud, liberals maintained complete control over Congress. In once instance liberal President Domingo Santa María
Domingo Santa María
Domingo Santa María González was a Chilean political figure. He served as the president of Chile between 1881 and 1886.-Early life:...
even admitted fraud was occurring, stating that "I have been accused of electoral intervention. I have intervened. I belong to the old school and participate in electoral intervention because I want an efficient, disciplined Parliament. [...] I cannot allow the legacy of Portales, Bulnes, Montt and Errázuriz to be destroyed."
As a result, the Conservative Party was unable to participate in government until 1891. That year, president José Manuel Balmaceda
José Manuel Balmaceda
José Manuel Emiliano Balmaceda Fernández was the 11th President of Chile from September 18, 1886 to August 29, 1891. Balmaceda was part of the Castilian-Basque aristocracy in Chile...
's fights with Congress had reached a climax and he decided to dissolve Congress. In response, Congress impeached Balmaceda. The Congressional forces, helped mainly by the Navy, set up an alternative government led by Jorge Montt
Jorge Montt
Jorge Montt Álvarez was vice-admiral of the Chilean Navy and president of Chile from 1891 to 1896.-Early life:...
in Iquique
Iquique
Iquique is a port city and commune in northern Chile, capital of both the Iquique Province and Tarapacá Region. It lies on the Pacific coast, west of the Atacama Desert and the Pampa del Tamarugal. It had a population of 216,419 as of the 2002 census...
. After a series of Congressional victories, they reached 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...
and deposed Balmaceda, who fled to the Argentine embassy and committed suicide.
The "Parliamentary Republic": 1891-1920
Jorge Montt called for presidential and parliamentary elections that year. He was the only candidate for the presidency, supported by the Conservative, Liberal, and RadicalRadical Party (Chile)
The Radical Party of Chile was a Chilean political party. It was formed in 1863 by a split in the Liberal Party. Not coincidently, it was formed shortly after the organization of the Grand Lodge of Chile, and it has maintained a close relationship with Chilean Freemasonry throughout its life...
parties, and won unanimously. In the first free and clean parliamentary elections since almost a half-century, the Conservative Party won the majority of the seats in the Chamber of Deputies, but won only 4 seats out of 32 in the Senate. The Congressional forces established what became known as the "Parliamentary Republic". The president became little more than a figurehead, and Congress' power grew immensely.
The Conservative Party won all of Congress in 1894, but their candidate, Pedro Montt
Pedro Montt
Pedro Elías Pablo Montt Montt was a Chilean political figure. He served as the president of Chile from 1906 to his death from a probable stroke in 1910...
, lost in the 1901 presidential election
Chilean presidential election, 1901
The Chilean presidential election of 1901 took place through a system of electors, and resulted in the election of Germán Riesco as President.-Results:Source: ...
. Throughout the Parliamentary Republic period, the Conservatives were one of the dominant parties in Congress. Nevertheless, the excessive power of the legislative body made government ineffective in the eyes of many, leading to the crisis of the 1920s.
During this period, the conservatives joined with other small like-minded groups to form the alliance known as the Coalition. The Coalition candidate in the contentious 1915 presidential election
Chilean presidential election, 1915
A presidential election was held in Chile in 1915. It was a bitterly contested election between Juan Luis Sanfuentes —a coalition candidate of the Liberal Party and Conservative Party— and Javier Ángel Figueroa —supported by the Liberal Alliance parties. Sanfuentes beat Figueroa by a single vote,...
, Juan Luis Sanfuentes
Juan Luis Sanfuentes
Juan Luis Sanfuentes Andonaegui was President of Chile between 1915 and 1920. He was son of writer and politician Salvador Sanfuentes Torres and Matilde Andonaegui....
, won with just a little more than 50% of the vote.
Anarchy and Stability: 1920-1938
In the 1920 presidential electionChilean presidential election, 1920
The Chilean presidential election of 1920 resulted in the election as President of Arturo Alessandri.-Popular vote:Carried out on June 25, 1920. -Electoral vote :Carried out on July 25, 1920.-Electoral vote :...
, the Conservative Party teamed up with a group of dissident liberals to form the National Union alliance. Their candidate in the elections was the liberal Luis Barros Borgoño
Luis Barros Borgoño
Luis Barros Borgoño was a Chilean politician who served as Vice President of Chile in 1925.Born in Santiago, he was son of Manuel Barros Arana and Eugenia Borgoño Vergara...
, who competed with Arturo Alessandri
Arturo Alessandri
Arturo Fortunato Alessandri Palma was a Chilean political figure and reformer, who served twice as the President of Chile, first between 1920 and 1924, and then again in 1925, and finally from 1932 until 1938....
of the Liberal Alliance. The election was very violent and in the end Barros won the popular vote but Alessandri won the electoral vote (a situation similar to the 2000 election
United States presidential election, 2000
The United States presidential election of 2000 was a contest between Republican candidate George W. Bush, then-governor of Texas and son of former president George H. W. Bush , and Democratic candidate Al Gore, then-Vice President....
in the USA). Finally, a special tribunal declared Alessandri the victor by a single electoral vote. The next year, however, conservatives won control of Congress.
The inefficiency of government angered many Chileans, particularly in the army. Finally, in 1924, the army revolted and Alessandri resigned. A junta, led by Luis Altamirano
Luis Altamirano
Division General Luis Altamirano Talavera was a Chilean military officer, minister, Vice President of the Republic and finally President of the Government Junta of Chile between 1924 and 1925....
, governed until 1925, when General Carlos Ibáñez and Commodore Marmaduque Grove
Marmaduque Grove
Marmaduque Grove Vallejo was a Chilean Air Force officer, political figure and member of the Government Junta of the Socialist Republic of Chile in 1932.-Early life:...
led a counter-coup that deposed Altamirano and brought Alessandri back. The traditional political parties, including the conservatives played no part in these coups. Alessandri resigned once more in 1925 because of the excessive power wielded by General Ibáñez.
The Conservatives, Liberals, and Radicals all agreed to support Emiliano Figueroa
Emiliano Figueroa
Emiliano Figueroa Larraín was President of Chile from December 23, 1925 until his resignation on May 10, 1927. He also served as Acting president for a few months on 1910.-Biography:...
in the 1925 presidential election
Chilean presidential election, 1925
A presidential election was held in Chile on October 24, 1925. It was the first direct election of a President in the country's history, as mandated by the 1925 Constitution, promulgated on September 18 of that year. Presidents were previously elected by a group of directly elected...
. Figueroa won with an overwhelming 71%. Nevertheless, Ibáñez's pressure led to Figueroa's resignation as well, and in 1927 new elections were held. The Conservative Party chose not to participate, and Ibáñez won with 98%.
During Ibáñez's dictatorship, Congress was dissolved. Finally, in 1930, Ibáñez called the political party leaders for a meeting in the Chillán
Chillán
Chillán is a city in the Biobío Region of Chile located about south of the country's capital, Santiago, near the geographical center of the country. It is the capital of Ñuble Province and, with a population of approximately 170,000 people , the most populated urban center of this province...
thermal baths, a popular tourist destination. To avoid a victory by his opponents, Ibáñez asked each party to nominate potential Congressmen. Then, Ibáñez himself appointed a Chamber of Deputies and a Senate. In this Congress, known as the "Thermal Congress" because of the place where it was decided on, the Conservatives received only 24 seats in the Chamber out of 133. In the Senate, they got 10 out of 42.
Ibáñez was unable to solve the problems caused by the Great Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
and fled the country in 1931. Conservatives, Liberals, and Radicals all agreed to support Juan Esteban Montero
Juan Esteban Montero
Juan Esteban Montero Rodríguez was a Chilean political figure. He served twice as president of Chile between 1931 and 1932.-Early life:...
(a Radical) in the presidential election
Chilean presidential election, 1931
-Results:Source:...
. Montero won, but was likewise unable to solve Chile's economic problems. In the end even his own party abandoned him. Supported only by the Liberals and Conservatives, Montero was deposed by a military coup led by socialist Commodore Marmaduque Grove
Marmaduque Grove
Marmaduque Grove Vallejo was a Chilean Air Force officer, political figure and member of the Government Junta of the Socialist Republic of Chile in 1932.-Early life:...
. Grove was deposed in a counter-coup led by radical Carlos Dávila
Carlos Dávila
Carlos Gregorio Dávila Espinoza , was a Chilean political figure, Chairman of Government Junta of Chile in 1932, and Secretary General of the Organization of American States from 1954 until his death in 1955.-Early life:...
. Amid the political turmoil, Dávila resigned and was replaced by Bartolomé Blanche
Bartolomé Blanche
General Bartolomé Guillermo Blanche Espejo was a Chilean military officer and provisional president of Chile in 1932....
, who restored democracy.
Presidential elections
Chilean presidential election, 1932
The Chilean presidential election of 1932 was held on October 30 of that year between:* Former President Arturo Alessandri for the Liberal Party.* Former Head of State Marmaduque Grove for the Socialist Party....
were held on 1932. The Conservative Party candidate, Héctor Rodríguez
Héctor Rodríguez
Héctor Antonio Rodríguez Ordeñana was a Major League Baseball third baseman for one season with the Chicago White Sox...
finished in third place with only 14% of the vote. Nevertheless, the winner, Arturo Alessandri, was also a right-winger and received the Conservative Party's support during his presidency.
During Alessandri's presidency, a social-Christian faction of the Conservative Party became more powerful. Finally, in 1935, they broke away and created the Falange Nacional (National Palanx), which was to give way to the Christian Democrat Party of Chile
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....
.
The Divided Right-Wing: 1938-1953
In the 1938 presidential electionChilean presidential election, 1938
A presidential election was held in Chile on October 25, 1938.-Results:* Withdrew candidacy before election and gave his support to Aguirre.Source:...
, the right-wing candidate, Gustavo Ross, supported by the Liberal and Conservative Parties, was defeated by Pedro Aguirre Cerda
Pedro Aguirre Cerda
Pedro Aguirre Cerda was a Chilean political figure. A member of the Radical Party, he was chosen as the Popular Front's candidate for the 1938 presidential election, and was triumphally elected. He governed Chile until his death in 1941...
. Conservatives and Liberals were by now very similar ideologically, but they refused to unite. Additionally, despite the formation of the Falange Nacional, some social-Christians remained in the Conservative Party.
The 1942 presidential election
Chilean presidential election, 1942
A presidential election was held in Chile on February 2, 1942. Juan Antonio Ríos was a member of the conservative wing of the Radical Party and defeated General Carlos Ibáñez del Campo, portraying himself as a conservative anti-fascist candidate...
were another divisive moment for the right. Both the Conservative and Liberal parties agreed to support the candidacy of Carlos Ibáñez. However, the pro-Alessandri elements in both parties refused to do so, arguing Ibáñez was an ambitious former dictator. These groups broke away and formed the Movimiento Liberal Antifascista (Liberal Anti-Fascist Movement), and supported the left-wing candidate Juan Antonio Ríos
Juan Antonio Ríos
Juan Antonio Ríos Morales was a Chilean political figure, and President of Chile from 1942 to 1946, during the height of World War II. He died in office.-Early life:...
, who won.
The Liberal and Conservative parties were unable to agree ona single candidate for the 1946 presidential election
Chilean presidential election, 1946
A presidential election was held in Chile on September 4, 1946 to elect the successor to Juan Antonio Ríos, who died in office in June of that year.-Popular vote:Source: -Congressional election:Source:...
. The Conservatives presented Eduardo Cruz-Coke
Eduardo Cruz-Coke
Eduardo Cruz-Coke Lassabe was a Chilean political figure, the conservative candidate in Chile's 1946 presidential election and the principal creator of the Chilean health system....
, who finished in second-place after radical Gabriel González Videla
Gabriel González Videla
Gabriel González Videla was a Chilean politician. He was a deputy and senator in the Chilean Congress and was President of Chile from 1946 to 1952...
. During González's presidency, the Conservatives enjoyed a brief stay in power when González broke with the communists that had supported him.
In 1949, the Conservative Party ceased to exist. The social-Christian elements created the Social Christian Conservative Party
Social Christian Conservative Party
The Social Christian Conservative Party was a right-wing political party in Chile, founded in 1949 as the Conservative Party split in two factions. For electoral purposes, one of the factions was named the Social Christian Conservative Party...
and their opponents created the Traditionalist Conservative Party. In the 1952 presidential election
Chilean presidential election, 1952
A presidential election was held in Chile on September 4, 1952. It was the first presidential election where women were allowed to vote, after gaining the right in 1949...
, the Traditionalist Conservatives and the Liberal Party presented Arturo Matte as their candidate, while the Falange Nacional, the Radical Party, and the Social Christian Conservative Party supported Pedro Alfonso
Pedro Alfonso
Pedro Alfonso or Alfónsez was an Asturian magnate, dominating the region from 1139 until his death. He had vast landholdings in the Asturias, the province of León, and Toledo, including in the cities of León and Toledo, the most important cities of the realm. His commercial dealings, too, were...
. Both lost to independent Carlos Ibáñez.
Unity and Fall: 1953-1966
In December 1953, the Traditionalist Conservative Party joined with part of the Social Christian Conservative Party and formed the United Conservative PartyUnited Conservative Party
The United Conservative Party was a right-wing Chilean party founded in December 1953 after the merger of the Traditionalist Conservative Party and parts of the Social Christian Conservative Party, issued from the Conservative Party. It supported for the 1958 presidential election the candidacy of...
. The other half of the Social Christian Conservatives joined with the Falange Nacional in 1957 and formed the 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....
.
The United Conservative Party and the Liberal Party backed independent Jorge Alessandri
Jorge Alessandri
Jorge Alessandri Rodríguez was the 27th President of Chile from 1958 to 1964, and was the candidate of the Chilean right in the crucial presidential election of 1970...
in the 1958 presidential election
Chilean presidential election, 1958
A presidential election was held in Chile on September 4, 1958. Because none of the candidates obtained an absolute majority needed to win outright, a confirmation by Congress was carried out on October 24, 1958 to declare the winner.-Election:...
. He triumphed with 32%, defeating socialist Salvador Allende
Salvador Allende
Salvador Allende Gossens was a Chilean physician and politician who is generally considered the first democratically elected Marxist to become president of a country in Latin America....
and Christian Democrat Eduardo Frei Montalva
Eduardo Frei Montalva
Eduardo Frei Montalva was a Chilean political leader of world stature. In his long political career, he was Minister of Public Works, president of his Christian Democratic Party, senator, President of the Senate, and president of Chile from 1964 to 1970...
. In the parliamentary elections, however, the conservatives did not do well. In 1961, they won only 17 seats of out 150 in the Chamber and zero seats in the Senate. In 1965, the right-wing suffered a historic low. In the Chamber, Conservatives and Liberals won only 3 seats each, and in the Senate the Liberals won 1 seat and the Conservatives none.
In response to this huge loss, the conservatives and liberals united to form the National Party
National Party (Chile) (1966-1973)
See also National Party .The National Party of Chile was a Chilean political party formed by the union of the United Conservative Party, the United Liberal Party and the Partido Acción Nacional .It represented...
in 1966, under which they staged a political comeback in the next election.
Presidential candidates
The following is a list of the presidential candidates supported by the Conservative Party or the pelucones. (Information gathered from the Archive of Chilean Elections).- 1829Chilean presidential election, 1829The Chilean presidential election of 1829 took place on May 15-16 1829, through a system of electors.The newly enacted Constitution of 1828, provided that the President was to be chosen by electors. Two-hundred and sixteen electors, three for each congressman, were to be chosen...
: Francisco Ruiz-TagleFrancisco Ruiz-TagleFrancisco Antonio Pascual de la Ascensión Ruiz de Tagle y Portales was a Chilean political figure. In 1830, he was briefly president of the country. Provisional President of Republic of Chile elected by Congress.-Biography:...
(lost), Diego José Benavente (lost) - 1831Chilean presidential election, 1831The Chilean presidential election of 1831 took place through a system of electors, and resulted in the election as President of General José Joaquín Prieto....
: José Joaquín PrietoJosé Joaquín PrietoJosé Joaquín Prieto Vial was a Chilean military and political figure. He was twice President of Chile between 1831 and 1841. José Joaquín Prieto was of Spanish and Basque descent.-Early life:...
(won) - 1836Chilean presidential election, 1836The Chilean presidential election of 1836 took place through a system of electors, and resulted in the reelection as President of General José Joaquín Prieto.Prieto faced little opposition in this election and was easily reelected.-Results:Source: ...
: José Joaquín PrietoJosé Joaquín PrietoJosé Joaquín Prieto Vial was a Chilean military and political figure. He was twice President of Chile between 1831 and 1841. José Joaquín Prieto was of Spanish and Basque descent.-Early life:...
(won) - 1841Chilean presidential election, 1841The Chilean presidential election of 1841 took place through a system of electors, and resulted in the election as President of General Manuel Bulnes....
: Manuel BulnesManuel Bulnes-Sources:* Juan B. Alberdi, Biografia de general Bulnes...
(won) - 1846Chilean presidential election, 1846The Chilean presidential election of 1846 took place through a system of electors, and resulted in the unanimous election as President of General Manuel Bulnes.-Results:...
: Manuel BulnesManuel Bulnes-Sources:* Juan B. Alberdi, Biografia de general Bulnes...
(won) - 1851Chilean presidential election, 1851The Chilean presidential election of 1851 took place through a system of electors, and resulted in the election as President of Manuel Montt. Montt was the first non-military president....
: Manuel MonttManuel MonttManuel Francisco Antonio Julián Montt Torres was a Chilean statesman and scholar. He was twice elected President of Chile between 1851 and 1861.-Biography:...
(won) - 1856Chilean presidential election, 1856The Chilean presidential election of 1856 took place through a system of electors, and resulted in the reelection as President of Manuel Montt.-Results:-References:#...
: José Santiago Aldunate (lost) - 1861Chilean presidential election, 1861The Chilean presidential election of 1861 took place through a system of electors, and resulted in the election as President of José Joaquín Pérez.Pérez was a "unity" candidate between the conservatives and liberals. He won the election unanimously....
: José Joaquín PérezJosé Joaquín PérezJosé Joaquín Pérez Mascayano was a Chilean political figure. He served as the president of Chile between 1861 and 1871....
(won) - 1866Chilean presidential election, 1866The Chilean presidential election of 1866 took place through a system of electors, and resulted in the election as President of José Joaquín Pérez.-Results:-References:#...
: José Joaquín PérezJosé Joaquín PérezJosé Joaquín Pérez Mascayano was a Chilean political figure. He served as the president of Chile between 1861 and 1871....
(won), Manuel BulnesManuel Bulnes-Sources:* Juan B. Alberdi, Biografia de general Bulnes...
(lost) - 1871Chilean presidential election, 1871The Chilean presidential election of 1871 took place through a system of electors, and resulted in the election as President of Federico Errázuriz Zañartu.-Results:-References:#...
: Federico Errázuriz ZañartuFederico Errázuriz ZañartuFederico Marcos del Rosario Errázuriz Zañartu was a Chilean political figure. He served as the president of Chile between 1871 and 1876. He was born in Santiago in 1825 and died there in 1877. Errázuriz was of Basque descent....
(won) - 1876Chilean presidential election, 1876The Chilean presidential election of 1876 took place through a system of electors, and resulted in the election as President of Aníbal Pinto, who was the sole candidate.-Results:-References:#...
: none - 1881Chilean presidential election, 1881The Chilean presidential election of 1881 took place through a system of electors, and resulted in the election as President of Domingo Santa María, who was the sole candidate.-Results:-References:#...
: Manuel BaquedanoManuel BaquedanoManuel Jesús Baquedano González was a Chilean soldier and Chief of Government, who served as Commander-in-chief of the Army during the War of the Pacific. Manuel Baquedano was of Basque descent.-Early life:...
(lost) - 1886Chilean presidential election, 1886The Chilean presidential election of 1886 took place through a system of electors, and resulted in the election as President of José Manuel Balmaceda, who was the sole candidate.-Results:-References:#...
: none - 1891Chilean presidential election, 1891The Chilean presidential election of 1891 took place through a system of electors, and resulted in the election as President of Jorge Montt, who was the sole candidate.-Results:-References:#...
: Jorge MonttJorge MonttJorge Montt Álvarez was vice-admiral of the Chilean Navy and president of Chile from 1891 to 1896.-Early life:...
(won) - 1896Chilean presidential election, 1896The Chilean presidential election of 1896 took place through a system of electors, and resulted in the election as President of Federico Errázuriz Echaurren...
: Federico Errázuriz EchaurrenFederico Errázuriz EchaurrenFederico Errázuriz Echaurren was a Chilean political figure. Born in Santiago, he served as President of Chile between 1896 and his death in 1901. Federico Errázuriz was of Basque descent.-Early life:...
(won) - 1901Chilean presidential election, 1901The Chilean presidential election of 1901 took place through a system of electors, and resulted in the election of Germán Riesco as President.-Results:Source: ...
: Pedro MonttPedro MonttPedro Elías Pablo Montt Montt was a Chilean political figure. He served as the president of Chile from 1906 to his death from a probable stroke in 1910...
(lost) - 1906Chilean presidential election, 1906The Chilean presidential election of 1906 took place through a system of electors, and resulted in the election as President of Pedro Montt.-Results:Source: ...
: Fernando Lazcano (lost) - 1910Chilean presidential election, 1910A presidential election was held in Chile in 1910, due to President Pedro Montt's death while in office on August 16 that year. His successor, Vice President Elías Fernández Albano, also died less than a month later. It was Emiliano Figueroa, the new Vice President, who called for new presidential...
: Ramón Barros LucoRamón Barros LucoRamón Barros Luco was President of Chile between 1910 and 1915.Barros Luco was born in 1835 in Santiago, Barros Luco was son of Ramón Luis Barros Fernández and Dolores Luco Fernández de Leiva. He graduated from Law School in 1858...
(won) - 1915Chilean presidential election, 1915A presidential election was held in Chile in 1915. It was a bitterly contested election between Juan Luis Sanfuentes —a coalition candidate of the Liberal Party and Conservative Party— and Javier Ángel Figueroa —supported by the Liberal Alliance parties. Sanfuentes beat Figueroa by a single vote,...
: Juan Luis SanfuentesJuan Luis SanfuentesJuan Luis Sanfuentes Andonaegui was President of Chile between 1915 and 1920. He was son of writer and politician Salvador Sanfuentes Torres and Matilde Andonaegui....
(won) - 1920Chilean presidential election, 1920The Chilean presidential election of 1920 resulted in the election as President of Arturo Alessandri.-Popular vote:Carried out on June 25, 1920. -Electoral vote :Carried out on July 25, 1920.-Electoral vote :...
: Luis Barros BorgoñoLuis Barros BorgoñoLuis Barros Borgoño was a Chilean politician who served as Vice President of Chile in 1925.Born in Santiago, he was son of Manuel Barros Arana and Eugenia Borgoño Vergara...
(lost) - 1925Chilean presidential election, 1925A presidential election was held in Chile on October 24, 1925. It was the first direct election of a President in the country's history, as mandated by the 1925 Constitution, promulgated on September 18 of that year. Presidents were previously elected by a group of directly elected...
: Emiliano FigueroaEmiliano FigueroaEmiliano Figueroa Larraín was President of Chile from December 23, 1925 until his resignation on May 10, 1927. He also served as Acting president for a few months on 1910.-Biography:...
(won) - 1927Chilean presidential election, 1927A presidential election was held in Chile on May 22, 1927. Following President Emiliano Figueroa's resignation on April 7, 1927, Interior minister Carlos Ibáñez del Campo took his place as Vice President and called for elections. He competed with communist Elías Lafertte.-Results:Source:...
: none - 1931Chilean presidential election, 1931-Results:Source:...
: Juan Esteban MonteroJuan Esteban MonteroJuan Esteban Montero Rodríguez was a Chilean political figure. He served twice as president of Chile between 1931 and 1932.-Early life:...
(won) - 1932Chilean presidential election, 1932The Chilean presidential election of 1932 was held on October 30 of that year between:* Former President Arturo Alessandri for the Liberal Party.* Former Head of State Marmaduque Grove for the Socialist Party....
: Héctor RodríguezHéctor RodríguezHéctor Antonio Rodríguez Ordeñana was a Major League Baseball third baseman for one season with the Chicago White Sox...
(lost) - 1938Chilean presidential election, 1938A presidential election was held in Chile on October 25, 1938.-Results:* Withdrew candidacy before election and gave his support to Aguirre.Source:...
: Gustavo Ross (lost) - 1942Chilean presidential election, 1942A presidential election was held in Chile on February 2, 1942. Juan Antonio Ríos was a member of the conservative wing of the Radical Party and defeated General Carlos Ibáñez del Campo, portraying himself as a conservative anti-fascist candidate...
: Carlos Ibáñez (lost) - 1946Chilean presidential election, 1946A presidential election was held in Chile on September 4, 1946 to elect the successor to Juan Antonio Ríos, who died in office in June of that year.-Popular vote:Source: -Congressional election:Source:...
: Eduardo Cruz-CokeEduardo Cruz-CokeEduardo Cruz-Coke Lassabe was a Chilean political figure, the conservative candidate in Chile's 1946 presidential election and the principal creator of the Chilean health system....
(lost) - 1952Chilean presidential election, 1952A presidential election was held in Chile on September 4, 1952. It was the first presidential election where women were allowed to vote, after gaining the right in 1949...
: Traditionalist: Arturo Matte (lost), Social Christian: Pedro AlfonsoPedro AlfonsoPedro Alfonso or Alfónsez was an Asturian magnate, dominating the region from 1139 until his death. He had vast landholdings in the Asturias, the province of León, and Toledo, including in the cities of León and Toledo, the most important cities of the realm. His commercial dealings, too, were...
(lost) - 1958Chilean presidential election, 1958A presidential election was held in Chile on September 4, 1958. Because none of the candidates obtained an absolute majority needed to win outright, a confirmation by Congress was carried out on October 24, 1958 to declare the winner.-Election:...
: Jorge AlessandriJorge AlessandriJorge Alessandri Rodríguez was the 27th President of Chile from 1958 to 1964, and was the candidate of the Chilean right in the crucial presidential election of 1970...
(won) - 1964Chilean presidential election, 1964A presidential election was held in Chile on September 4, 1964. Christian Democratic candidate Eduardo Frei Montalva won the election by an absolute majority....
: Eduardo Frei MontalvaEduardo Frei MontalvaEduardo Frei Montalva was a Chilean political leader of world stature. In his long political career, he was Minister of Public Works, president of his Christian Democratic Party, senator, President of the Senate, and president of Chile from 1964 to 1970...
(won)
Sources
- San Francisco, Alejandro, and Ángel Soto, eds. Camino a La Moneda. Santiago: Centro De Estudios Bicentenario, 2005.