Chile's presidential election set to face run-off

Opposition candidate Michelle Bachelet finished far ahead in the first round of Chile's presidential election on Sunday, but failed to win 50 percent of the votes needed to win an outright first-round victory.

With 94.62 percent of the ballots counted, the former president gathered 46.74 percent of the votes, while ruling conservative party candidate Evelyn Matthei garnered 25.02 percent, the Electoral Service (Servel) said on its website.

Earlier reports said that Bachelet won an outright victory in the first round was denied by the Service. The two top candidates are set to face a run-off on Dec. 15.