National Party (Chile) (1966-1973)
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See also National Party (Chile) (1857-1933).
The National Party (Partido Nacional) 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 (founded in 1963 by Jorge Prat Echaurren, who had been Minister of Finances in 1954 in Carlos Ibáñez del Campo's cabinet).
It represented the right-wing of the Chilean political spectrum, against the centrist Christian Democratic Party of Chile and the leftist coalition People's Unity. Its candidate Jorge Alessandri lost the 1970 presidential election. Three years later, in August 1973, after escalating political polarization, the Christian Democrats joined with the National Party in the same legislature against Allende. The following month, newly appointed chief of staff General Augusto Pinochet led the 1973 military coup against Allende, after which the National Party voluntarily dissolved itself. It attempted to reform in 1983 but was unable to compete with the new right-wing parties, the Independent Democratic Union (UDI) and National Renewal. After poor electoral showing, it disbanded during the transition to democracy, in 1994.
[edit] Presidential candidates
The following is a list of the presidential candidates supported by the National Party. (Information gathered from the Archive of Chilean Elections).
- 1970: Jorge Alessandri (lost)
- 1988 plebiscite: "Yes" (lost)
- 1989: Hernán Büchi (lost)
- 1993: Arturo Alessandri Besa (lost)