Nueva Acción Universitaria (NAU) and Amanecer will compete for the presidency of the Federación de Estudiantes de la Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile (FEUC), the student federation of the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile. The runoff will take place on October 21 and 22. This is the second consecutive time that two left-wing slates have reached the final round.
According to T13, citing results from Radio UC, NAU won the largest share with 34.75% of the vote. Amanecer came second with 20.66%. According to La Tercera, the figures were 33.4% and 24.8%, respectively, out of a total of 16,039 votes. Both outlets agree on the order of the slates.
NAU is a center-left movement close to the Partido Socialista (Socialist Party). Former minister Giorgio Jackson came up through its ranks. Its candidate is Florencia Yáñez, a third-year law student and former executive secretary of her program's student council.
Amanecer brings together the Frente Amplio (Broad Front) and the Juventudes Comunistas (Communist Youth). Its candidate is Maksim Baeza, a Communist Party member and design student. Baeza chaired the federation's executive council during the first semester.
The right was left out. Solidaridad UC, linked to figures from Renovación Nacional (National Renewal) such as deputy Diego Schalper, one of its founders, finished third. The Movimiento Gremial, founded by former senator Jaime Guzmán, came fourth. Avanzar, a liberal-leaning slate, finished last. The figures for these slates also differ between the two outlets.
According to La Tercera, voting took place on Tuesday and Wednesday, and results were released at 7 a.m. this Thursday. The process was marked by the assault suffered by members of Solidaridad UC and the Movimiento Gremial during a march by the Confederación de Estudiantes de Chile (Confech), the Chilean student confederation, last week.
Some thought that episode would shift undecided votes to the right. It did not. NAU and Amanecer advanced comfortably, just like last year, when NAU won the runoff and kept control of the federation.
The picture is repeated in the Consejería Superior, the body that represents students before the university's governing authorities. There, according to T13, NAU took 30.06% and Amanecer 19.7%. Both slates will also decide that seat in the runoff on October 21 and 22.
