December 17, 2013 9:19 AM

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Education, health, reducing income disparity on agenda: Chile's new Prez

The winner of Sunday's Presidential election in Chile, Michelle Bachelet, says she will use her clear victory to push through her reform agenda. With almost all the votes counted, Ms Bachelet, the left-wing candidate for the New Majority coalition, won 62 per cent of the votes in the second and final round. Her conservative rival, Evelyn Matthei of the governing Independent Democratic Union, lost with 38 per cent of the votes cast. Ms Bachelet promised to carry out a thorough reform programme.In her victory speech, she said she had been guided by the voice of the people, those who with valour had set the country on its course. She said that the economic, social and political conditions are right for change.Chile is one of the richest countries in Latin America, but tens of thousands have staged protests over the past few years to push for a wider distribution of wealth and better education.Ms Bachelet campaigned on a promise to spend 15 billion dollars on reforming education, improving health care and reducing income disparity. She wants to increase taxes to offer free university education and reform political and economic structures dating from the 1973-1990 dictatorship of Gen Pinochet.

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