Race narrows
The week's news at a glance.
Santiago, Chile
A Socialist single mother finished ahead this week in the first round of Chile’s presidential elections, but she will have to survive a runoff to become the South American country’s first female president. Michelle Bachelet, the candidate of Chile’s center-left ruling coalition, fell four points short of the 50 percent needed to win in the first round. Her opponent in the runoff—conservative millionaire businessman Sebastián Piñera—got a quick boost when third-place finisher Joaquín Lavín, conceded defeat and pledged his “total support” to Piñera. Bachelet’s Concertación bloc has ruled since Gen. Augusto Pinochet left power in 1990.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
5 weather-beaten cartoons about the Texas floods
Cartoons Artists take on funding cuts, politicizing tragedy, and more
-
What has the Dalai Lama achieved?
The Explainer Tibet’s exiled spiritual leader has just turned 90, and he has been clarifying his reincarnation plans
-
Europe's heatwave: the new front line of climate change
In the Spotlight How will the continent adapt to 'bearing the brunt of climate change'?