Government-Chile

Chilean Goverment Type: Republic.Independence: September 18, 1810.Constitution: Promulgated September 11, 1980; effective March 11, 1981; amended in 1989, 1993, 1997, and 2005.Branches: //Executive//--president. //Legislative//--bicameral legislature. //Judicial//--Constitutional Tribunal, Supreme Court, court of appeals, military courts.Administrative subdivisions: 14 numbered regions and the Santiago metropolitan region, administered by appointed "intendentes." Regions are divided into provinces, administered by appointed governors; provinces are divided into municipalities administered by elected mayors.Political parties: Major parties are grouped into two large coalitions: 1) the center-left "Concertacion", which includes the Christian Democrat Party, the Socialist Party, the Party for Democracy, and the Radical Social Democratic Party; and 2) the center-right "Alliance for Chile" (or “Alianza”), which includes the National Renewal Party and the Independent Democratic Union. The Communist Party joined the Humanist Party and a number of smaller parties to form the "Together We Can" coalition in 2004. A new center-left party, "Chile-First," was established in October 2007. Another left party, “Progressive Party” (PRO) began its official legalization process in February 2011.Suffrage: Universal at 18, including foreigners legally resident for more than 5 years; absentee voting is not permitted.