Arturo Alessandri Palma Biography

Serves as Minister of Industry and Public Works during the presidency of Federico Errazuriz Echaurren.

Serves as Minister of Finance during the presidency of Ramon Barros Luco.

Begins service in the Senate after winning election for Tarapaca.

Serves briefly as Minister of the Interior during the Sanfuentes administration.

Begins his first presidential administration amid demands for social and political reform.

Wins a plurality in the presidential election and is later confirmed by the full Congress.

Is inaugurated as President of Chile after winning the closely contested 1920 election.

Obtains congressional leave and departs the country during the September military crisis.

Leaves Chile after military pressure disrupts his first presidential administration.

Faces military pressure as officers protest delays in passing social legislation.

Promulgates major labour and social insurance laws after military pressure on Congress.

Leaves the country after Congress grants him temporary constitutional leave.

A military coup results in the recall of Alessandri

Receives the Kemmerer financial mission, whose recommendations influence banking, currency and fiscal reforms.

Is recalled after a new military movement removes the January governing junta.

Resumes presidential authority and prepares constitutional reform.

Returns to the presidency after the January military movement recalls him from exile.

Promulgates legislation creating the Central Bank of Chile.

Restores the gold standard as part of the monetary reforms associated with the Kemmerer Mission.

Submits the proposed presidential constitution to a national plebiscite.

Promulgates the Constitution of 1925 and ends the parliamentary constitutional system.

Promulgates the new constitutional order separating church and state.

Resigns before completing the restored presidential term.

Begins his second elected presidency after the 1932 return to constitutional government.

Takes office for his second elected presidency and restores stable civilian administration.

Promulgates legislation granting women the right to vote in municipal elections.

Promulgates legislation introducing minimum-wage protections during his second presidency.

Promulgates legislation expanding preventive medical protection for workers.