Veteran politician José Antonio Kast is the favorite to win the presidency of Chile. In the recent first-round elections, about 70% of voters backed right-leaning candidates, pushing him into a run-off against Communist rival Jeannette Jara next month.
With nearly all votes counted, Kast, founder of the ultraconservative Republican party, earned 24% of the tally. Jara, who represents the ruling left-wing coalition, garnered 26.8%. Polls suggest Kast may have an easier time attracting votes from the other candidates, giving him a strong edge in the second round on December 14.
“Chile has truly woken up,” Kast declared to supporters, emphasizing a desire for change after years of dissatisfaction with the current government’s performance.
A win for Kast would signify a significant shift for the country, especially six years after widespread protests over poor public services and high living costs led to the election of left-wing president Gabriel Boric. Boric, barred from a second consecutive term, has faced challenges with crime and immigration issues, especially as gangs from Venezuela have increased in Chile. Recent surveys indicate that crime and immigration rank as top concerns among voters.
Jara’s performance fell short of expectations, complicating her chances to catch up with Kast, according to Robert Funk, a political science professor at the University of Chile. He noted the right has historically performed well in elections, hinting at a likely outcome.
The traditional center-right coalition, Chile Vamos, saw a downturn, with Evelyn Matthei winning only 12.7% of the votes. She has announced her support for Kast.
Kast, 59, aims to tackle crime and illegal immigration by proposing new maximum-security prisons, increased penalties for gang activity, and the deportation of undocumented migrants. He plans to cut $6 billion in public spending over 18 months, but many economists criticize this as unrealistic.
Next month’s run-off is set to be one of the most polarized elections in 35 years, although both candidates have moderated some of their views to attract centrist voters. Kast has toned down his conservative values, particularly regarding family issues and his past support for former dictator Augusto Pinochet. On the other hand, Jara plans to maintain fiscal balance while introducing a “living income” of $810 and tackling organized crime through economic measures.
“Almost half of Chileans didn’t vote for me or Kast, and from tomorrow we will go out to listen carefully,” Jara stated after the results.
Anti-establishment sentiments are growing, reflected in the strong performance of candidates like Franco Parisi, who received 19.6% of the vote, and Johannes Kaiser, with 13.9%. A new mandatory voting system engaged more than 13 million voters compared to 7.1 million in the previous round in 2021.
Looking ahead, experts note a potential challenge for Kast in unifying the right-wing factions in Congress, which comprise various ideological groups. Patricio Navia, a political analyst, highlighted that uniting these differing viewpoints might be a more significant task than defeating the left.
For more insights on Chile’s elections and political landscape, explore this report from The Economist.
