A trained physician —she graduated in 1982 from the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Chile— she later completed studies in military strategy and political science. During her youth, she was active in the Socialist Party of Chile before the 1973 coup d’état, after which she was forced into temporary exile. Upon her return in 1979, she resumed her studies and engaged in the rebuilding of Chile’s democracy.
With the country’s democratic transition (1990), Bachelet focused her career on public health and social policy. In President Ricardo Lagos’s administration, she served as Minister of Health (2000–2002) and then as Minister of Defense (2002–2004), becoming the first woman in Chile to hold that portfolio.
In 2005, she won her party’s nomination and the following year was elected President with 53.5% of the vote. Her first administration prioritized expanding social protection for children, older persons, and people with disabilities; increasing investment in education and health; advancing labour reforms; and embedding gender equality as a state policy.
Between her presidencies, she was appointed the first Executive Director of UN Women. In 2014, she was re-elected President with 62.1% of the vote, and during her second term she introduced tuition-free higher education, promoted new environmental policies, advanced marriage equality legislation, and established the Ministry of Women and Gender Equality.
In September 2018 she was appointed United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, serving until August 2022. During her tenure, she promoted international human rights standards and addressed global humanitarian crises.
Recently, President Gabriel Boric announced her candidacy for Secretary-General of the United Nations at the UN General Assembly. If elected, Bachelet would bring her broad experience in social policy, human rights, and global governance to the highest office of the institution.
Within Club de Madrid, Michelle Bachelet is a leading voice in debates on democracy, equity, and inclusion, actively contributing to initiatives that strengthen women’s leadership, social justice, and multilateral cooperation.
