Chile: Bachelet Announces Party Financing Restrictions

Chilean President Michelle Bachelet has announced new measures to regulate political financing, saying that in the future political parties will be funded by the State. Businesses will not be allowed to contribute, and party lists must be cleaned up. The announcement comes as the president’s popularity had slumped in recent months, fed by accusations that her son had preferential access to a bank loan. As part of her campaign for a second term in office, Bachelet has promised to overhaul the Pinochet-era Constitution. teleSUR.