Ignacio Balbontín

Ignacio Balbontín Arteaga (18 July 1940–18 August 2015) was a Chilean politician who served as deputy.

Between 1974 and 1978, he worked as a researcher at the Latin American Faculty of Social Sciences (FLACSO), and held similar positions at the Centro de Estudios para el Desarrollo (CED) between 1982 and 1990. He married María Sofía Lecaros.

Education and professional career He completed his primary and secondary education at Saint George's College. He pursued higher education at the University of Chile School of Law, completing four years of study. He later enrolled at the Catholic University of Chile School of Sociology, where he obtained a bachelor's degree and the professional title of sociologist. Subsequently, he undertook postgraduate studies at the Catholic University of Louvain, Belgium, specializing in sociology of work.

On 5 May 1970, he was authorized to begin his doctoral thesis in Sociology at the Catholic University of Louvain.

Between 2005 and 2009, he served as analyst at the Ministry General Secretariat of the Presidency. He also carried out teaching and research duties in higher education institutions, mainly in the areas of quantitative methodology and social stratification.

Political career He began his political career while studying at the University of Chile School of Law, serving as national leader of the Federación de Estudiantes de la Universidad de Chile (FEUCH). Between 1971 and 1973, he was leader of the Asociación de Empleados y Funcionarios de la Universidad de Chile (APEUCH).

In 1959 and 1962, he was national leader of the Asociación de Universitarios Católicos (AUC).

He was part of the so-called Group of Thirteen, composed of Christian Democratic militants who opposed the military coup of 11 September 1973, signing a dissenting declaration against the party leadership’s position.

He also served as national leader of the Christian Democratic Youth (JDC) between 1982 and 1987, and was member of the Group of 24 and the Assembly of Civility.

In 1993, he ran for the Chamber of Deputies for District No. 18 of the Metropolitan Region, comprising the communes of Cerro Navia, Quinta Normal and Lo Prado. He was elected with 38,719 votes, corresponding to 19.79% of the valid votes cast.

At the end of his term, he did not seek re-election.