The
Nueva Mayoría was expected to hold a primary election to select its candidate for president. The governing coalition includes the
Christian Democratic,
Radical Social Democratic,
For Democracy,
Socialist,
MAS Region,
Citizen Left and
Communist parties. Senator
Alejandro Guillier was proclaimed as candidate by the Radical Social Democratic (PRSD), Socialist (PS) and Communist (PC) parties. However, on April 29, 2017, the Christian Democratic Party decided to break away from the Nueva Mayoría coalition and present their candidate, Senator
Carolina Goic, directly to the first round. According to Chilean law, Guillier will have to collect signatures to participate in the first round, even if he is supported by a political party, given his status as an independent politician.
Socialist Party candidate definition On 19 January 2017, the
Socialist Party of Chile agreed to maintain its decision to define the party's presidential candidacy via an extra-legal primary (called "citizen consultation") on April 28, in which party members and citizens who are not registered in any political party would be able to vote. The decision was ratified by the party's Central Committee on 21 January. The possible candidates were: •
Fernando Atria (
PS): The constitutional lawyer and university professor declared his intention to compete in a
Socialist Party primary on 25 September 2016. •
José Miguel Insulza (
PS): The former minister and former
Secretary General of the Organization of American States announced his intention to compete in a
Socialist Party primary on 23 November 2016. •
Ricardo Lagos (
PPD): The former President was proclaimed as candidate by the
Party for Democracy on 14 January 2017. However, on 1 April 2017 the Central Committee of the Socialist Party decided to call off the primary election and select the presidential candidate themselves. After this decision, both Insulza and Atria withdrew their candidacies. On 10 April 2017 former President
Ricardo Lagos announced he was pulling out of the presidential race. ==References==