Senate of Chile

Senate of the Republic of Chile Senado de la República de Chile
55th National Congress
Seal
Type
Type	Upper House of the National Congress of Chile
Term limits	Unlimited 8-year terms
Leadership
President	Adriana Muñoz, PPD since March 17, 2020
Vice-President	Rabindranath Quinteros, PS since March 17, 2019
Structure
Seats	43
Political groups	Government (19) Chile Vamos (19)   UDI (9)   RN (8)   EVOPOLI (1)   Independent (1) Opposition (24) Constituent Unity (22)   PPD (8)   PS (7)   DC (5)   PR (1)   PRO (1) Broad Front (1)   RD (1) Others (1)   Independent (1)
Elections
Voting system	Open list Proportional representation
Last election	November 19, 2017
Next election	November 21, 2021
Meeting place
Senate Chamber, National Congress Building, Valparaíso, Chile
Website
http://www.senado.cl

The Senate of the Republic of Chile is the upper house of Chile's bicameral National Congress, as established in the current Constitution of Chile.

Composition

According to the present Constitution of Chile, the Senate is composed of forty-three directly elected senators, chosen by universal popular suffrage vote in 16 senatorial circumscriptions. These serve eight-year terms, with half of them being replaced every fourth year. They must be eligible to vote, have completed secondary school, or its equivalent, and be at least 35 years old.

The Senate sessions at the new (1990) National Congress located in the port city of Valparaíso that replaced the old National Congress located in downtown Santiago, the nation's capital.

Abolition of the unelected

Amendments to the Constitution, approved by a joint session of Congress on August 16, 2005, eliminated non-directly elected senators from March 11, 2006, the day 20 newly elected senators were sworn in, leaving the total number of senators at 38, all directly elected. Previously, according to the Constitution of 1980, "designated" or "institutional" senators were appointed to the chamber. Two former heads of state, Eduardo Frei Ruiz-Tagle and Augusto Pinochet, were installed as senators for life. Pinochet later resigned from this position and Frei lost his seat in the 2005 reform. However, Frei remained in the Senate by winning an elective seat.

Historical evolution

The Senate of Chile was created in 1812 to support the formulations of policies of the Government Junta. Since then it has undergone several constitutional reorganizations that have altered the scope of its constitutional powers, its composition and the generation of its members.

First senate

Created by Article 7 of the Provisional Constitutional Manual of 1812. It was composed of seven titular members (one for each province) and three alternate members and was supposed to serve as a counterbalance to the executive power of the Government Junta. The senators were directly nominated by the provinces in agreement with the central government. It functioned from November, 1812 to January, 1814, when it was reorganized to better respond to the problems caused by the successive military defeats at the hands of the advancing Spanish Army.

Consultive senate

Created by Article 13 of the Provisional Government Manual of 1814. As its predecessor, it was composed of seven titular members (only) nominated by the provinces in lists of three from which they were selected by the Supreme Director. It functioned from March to July, 1814, when the Spanish Army captured Santiago, putting an end to the Patria Vieja government.

First conservative senate

Created by Title III of the Constitution of 1818. It was composed of five titular members and five alternate members selected directly by the Supreme Director. It was supposed to function only when the lower house was not in function or could not meet, and had the power to enact "provisory rules" that had the same effect as laws (hence the "conservative" moniker, because it "conserved" the power.) It functioned from October, 1818 to May, 1822.

Election cycles

Key to Senate classes by regions:

• Class 1 consists of:

-the 23 current senators whose seats expire in March 2026.

• Class 2 consists of:

-the 20 current senators whose seats expire in March 2022. Plus 7 new senators, who will be elected in 2022

Class	Election	Expire	CP/DC	Chile Vamos	Other pacts	Total
1	2018	2026	10	12	1	23
2	2014	2022	11	7	2	20
Total			21	19	3	43

Current composition Senate of Chile

Constituency	Region	Class	Senator	Name	Political Group	Party	Prior Public Office/Position	Education	Assumed Office	Term Expires
1	Arica and Parinacota	1		José Miguel Insulza	Progressive Convergence	PS	Secretary General of the Organization of American States	University of Chile	March 11, 2018	March 11, 2026
1	Arica and Parinacota	1		José Durana	Chile Vamos	UDI	Intendant of the Arica y Parinacota Region	University of Tarapacá	March 11, 2018	March 11, 2026
2	Tarapacá	1		Jorge Soria	Progressive Convergence	Independent	Mayor of Iquique	Iquique Men's High School, Iquique	March 11, 2018	March 11, 2026
2	Tarapacá	1		Luz Ebensperger	Chile Vamos	UDI	Intendant of the Tarapacá Region	Pontifical Catholic University of Chile	March 11, 2018	March 11, 2022
3	Antofagasta	2		Pedro Araya	Progressive Convergence	Independent	Deputy District 4° (Antofagasta, Mejillones, Sierra Gorda and Taltal)	University of Antofagasta	March 11, 2014	March 11, 2022
3	Antofagasta	2		Alejandro Guillier	Progressive Convergence	Independent	Journalist and television reporter	Catholic University of the North	March 11, 2014	March 11, 2022
4	Atacama	1		Yasna Provoste	Out of pact	DC	Deputy District 6° (Alto del Carmen, Caldera, Freirina, Huasco, Tierra Amarilla and Vallenar)	University of Playa Ancha	March 11, 2018	March 11, 2026
4	Atacama	1		Rafael Prohens	Chile Vamos	RN	Intendant of the Atacama Region	Excelsior College, Santiago	March 11, 2018	March 11, 2026
5	Coquimbo	2		Adriana Muñoz	Progressive Convergence	PPD	Deputy by District 9° (Combarbalá, Punitaqui, Monte Patria, Illapel, Salamanca, Los Vilos and Canela)	University of Chile University of Vienna	March 11, 2014	March 11, 2022
5	Coquimbo	2		Jorge Pizarro	Out of pact	DC	Deputy by District 8° (Coquimbo, Ovalle and Rio Hurtado)	University of Chile	March 11, 2014	March 11, 2022
6	Valparaíso	1		Francisco Chahuán	Chile Vamos	RN	Deputy District 14° (Viña del Mar and Concon)	University of Valparaíso	March 11, 2010	March 11, 2026
6	Valparaíso	1		Kenneth Pugh	Chile Vamos	RN	General Director of the Personnel of the Chilean Navy	Arturo Prat Naval School, Valparaíso	March 11, 2018	March 11, 2026
6	Valparaíso	1		Ricardo Lagos Weber	Progressive Convergence	PPD	General Secretariat of Government minister during the government of Michelle Bachelet	University of Chile University of Sussex	March 11, 2010	March 11, 2026
6	Valparaíso	1		Isabel Allende	Progressive Convergence	PS	Senator for Constituency 3	University of Chile	March 11, 2018	March 11, 2026
6	Valparaíso	1		Juan Ignacio Latorre	Broad Front	RD	No previous public office	Central University of Chile	March 11, 2018	March 11, 2026
7	Santiago West	2		Guido Girardi	Progressive Convergence	PPD	Deputy District 18° (Cerro Navia, Lo Prado and Quinta Normal)	University of Chile	March 11, 2006	March 11, 2022
7	Santiago West	2		Marcela Sabat	Chile Vamos	RN	Deputy District 10° (Santiago, Providencia, Ñuñoa, Macul, La Granja and San Joaquín)	Universidad del Desarrollo Finis Terrae University	August 4, 2020	March 11, 2022
8	Santiago East	2		Manuel José Ossandón	Chile Vamos	RN	Mayor of Puente Alto	Inacap	March 11, 2014	March 11, 2022
8	Santiago East	2		Carlos Montes	Progressive Convergence	PS	Deputy District 26° (La Florida)	Pontifical Catholic University of Chile	March 11, 2014	March 11, 2022
9	O'Higgins	2		Juan Pablo Letelier	Progressive Convergence	PS	Deputy District 33° (Mostazal, Graneros, Codegua, Machalí, Requínoa, Rengo, Olivar, Doñihue, Coinco, Coltauco, Quinta de Tilcoco and Malloa)	Georgetown University	March 11, 2006	March 11, 2022
9	O'Higgins	2		Alejandro García-Huidobro	Chile Vamos	UDI	Deputy District 32° (Rancagua)	University of Chile	August 2, 2011	March 11, 2022
10	Maule	1		Juan Castro Prieto	Chile Vamos	Independent	Mayor of Talca	Industrial A-10 High School, Talca	March 11, 2018	March 11, 2026
10	Maule	1		Rodrigo Galilea	Chile Vamos	RN	Intendant of the Maule Region	Pontifical Catholic University of Chile	March 11, 2018	March 11, 2026
10	Maule	1		Juan Antonio Coloma	Chile Vamos	UDI	Deputy District 31° (Talagante, Peñaflor, El Monte, Isla de Maipo, Melipilla, María Pinto, Curacaví, Alhué and San Pedro)	Pontifical Catholic University of Chile	March 11, 2002	March 11, 2026
10	Maule	1		Ximena Rincón	Out of pact	DC	Labor Minister during the government of Michelle Bachelet	University of Chile	March 11, 2018	March 11, 2016
10	Maule	1		Álvaro Elizalde	Progressive Convergence	PS	General Secretariat of Government during the government of Michelle Bachelet	University of Chile	March 11, 2018	March 11, 2026
11	Biobío	2		Alejandro Navarro	Unity for Change	PRO	Deputy District 45° (Tomé, Penco, Florida, Hualqui, Coronel and Santa Juana)	University of Concepción	March 11, 2006	March 11, 2022
11	Biobío	2		Jacqueline Van Rysselberghe	Chile Vamos	UDI	Intendant of the Bío Bío Region	University of Concepción	March 11, 2014	March 11, 2022
12	Biobío Ñuble	2		Felipe Harboe	Progressive Convergence	PPD	Deputy District 22° (Santiago)	Central University of Chile	March 11, 2014	March 11, 2022
12	Biobío Ñuble	2		Claudio Alvarado	Chile Vamos	UDI	General Secretariat of Presidency during the government of Sebastián Piñera	Valparaiso Business School	August 4, 2020	March 11, 2022
13	Araucanía	1		Felipe Kast	Chile Vamos	Evópoli	Deputy District 22° (Santiago)	Pontifical Catholic University of Chile Harvard University	March 11, 2018	March 11, 2026
13	Araucanía	1		Carmen Gloria Aravena	Chile Vamos	Independent	Traiguén municipal administrator	University of La Frontera	March 11, 2018	March 11, 2026
13	Araucanía	1		José García Ruminot	Chile Vamos	RN	Deputy District 50° (Temuco and Padre Las Casas)	Higher Institute of Trade	March 11, 2002	March 11, 2026
13	Araucanía	1		Francisco Huenchumilla	Out of pact	DC	Intendant of the Araucanía Region	University of Chile	March 11, 2018	March 11, 2026
13	Araucanía	1		Jaime Quintana	Progressive Convergence	PPD	Deputy District 49° (Victoria, Curacautín, Lonquimay, Melipeuco, Vilcún, Lautaro, Perquenco and Galvarino)	Pontifical Catholic University of Chile University of La Frontera	March 11, 2010	March 11, 2026
14	Los Ríos	2		Alfonso De Urresti	Progressive Convergence	PS	Deputy District 53° (Corral, Lanco, Mafil, Mariquina and Valdivia)	University of Chile	March 11, 2014	March 11, 2022
14	Los Ríos	2		Ena von Baer	Chile Vamos	UDI	Senator for Constituency 8	Pontifical Catholic University of Chile RWTH Aachen University	March 11, 2014	March 11, 2022
15	Los Lagos	2		Rabindranath Quinteros	Progressive Convergence	PS	Mayor of Puerto Montt	University of Chile	March 11, 2014	March 11, 2022
15	Los Lagos	2		Iván Moreira	Chile Vamos	UDI	Deputy District 27° (El Bosque, La Cisterna and San Ramon)	Luis Alberto Barrera High School, Punta Arenas	March 11, 2014	March 11, 2022
16	Aysén	1		David Sandoval	Chile Vamos	UDI	Deputy District 59° (Coihaique, Lago Verde, Aisén, Cisnes, Guaitecas, Chile Chico, Río Ibáñez, Cochrane, O'Higgins and Tortel)	University of Chile	March 11, 2018	March 11, 2026
16	Aysén	1		Ximena Órdenes	Progressive Convergence	Independent	Intendant of the Aysén Region	Andrés Bello National University	March 11, 2018	March 11, 2016
17	Magallanes	2		Carlos Bianchi	Out of pact	Independent	Councillor of Punta Arenas	Luis Alberto Barrera High School, Punta Arenas	March 11, 2006	March 11, 2022
17	Magallanes	2		Carolina Goic	Out of pact	DC	Deputy District 60° (Puerto Natales, Torres del Paine, Punta Arenas, Río Verde, Laguna Blanca, San Gregorio, Porvenir, Primavera, Timaukel, Cabo de Hornos and Antártica)	Pontifical Catholic University of Chile	March 11, 2014	March 11, 2022

See also

• President of the Senate of Chile
• National Congress of Chile
• Chamber of Deputies of Chile
• Politics of Chile
• List of legislatures by country

External links

• Senate of Chile Official web site
• Article from the Economist dealing with the Senate composition