The presidential runoff election in Chile took place on Sunday, December 14th, attracting significant attention as the conservative politician Jose Antonio Kast from the Chilean Republican Party faced off against the leftist Communist Party member Jeannette Jara.
This election is expected to mark the most significant rightward shift in Chile since the end of military dictatorship in 1990. Polls conducted on the eve of the runoff show Kast holding a clear lead over his opponent Jara.
Chile recently reintroduced compulsory voting, requiring all eligible citizens to participate in the presidential election. It is estimated that around 15.6 million registered voters will turn out to vote this Sunday.
Polling stations are scheduled to close at 6 p.m. local time on Sunday, with a possibility of extension if there are voters still waiting in line. Preliminary election results are expected to be announced shortly after the closure of polling stations.
Chile held its first-round election on November 16th, where Jara led with 26.85% of the vote among eight candidates, while Kast defeated several right-wing candidates with 23.92% of the vote, securing a spot in the runoff. It is widely anticipated that many supporters of the right-wing candidates eliminated in the first round will shift their support to Kast in the runoff, potentially helping him secure over 50% of the votes needed to win the presidency.
Communist Party member Jara, a former Minister of Labor and Social Security in Chile, advocates for fiscal austerity. On the other hand, Kast, a conservative lawyer and former congressman, opposes abortion and same-sex marriage, pledging to reduce the size of the state. He is often likened to a Chilean version of Trump and has proposed closing borders and deporting around 300,000 illegal immigrants to make Chile “great again.”
In terms of the economy, Jara talks about increasing infrastructure investments and controlling public debt. To address Chile’s cost of living crisis, she proposes subsidies and raising the minimum wage to increase monthly income to $800.
Drawing inspiration from the Argentine President Javier Milei, Kast vows to reduce the public sector workforce and significantly cut business taxes to rejuvenate the stagnant economy.
As the election campaign nears its end, both candidates are focusing on the issue of crime, which is of utmost concern to voters. In a speech delivered on Thursday, Kast, standing behind a transparent protective barrier in the southern city of Temuco, described the chaos in Chile and vowed to restore order.
“Previous governments caused chaos, unrest, and insecurity. We will do the opposite, we will establish order, safety, and trust,” said the 59-year-old lawyer.
Despite Chile being one of the safest countries in Latin America, a recent increase in organized crime and immigration issues has unsettled voters, becoming their top concern. Kast’s tough stance on combating crime and immigration has garnered support from many voters.
Meanwhile, in the campaign finale held in the northern city of Coquimbo, 51-year-old Jara pledged a harsh crackdown on crime and emphasized the importance of building robust social programs while urging people not to cast blank votes.