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Chile Heads to Runoff With Kast Favored in Security-Driven Race

Polling favors Kast, reflecting voter anxiety over crime and migration.

Jeannette Jara, presidential candidate representing Chile's ruling leftist coalition and a member of the Communist Party, and Jose Antonio Kast of the far-right Republican Party, stand together as they attend the last televised debate before the December 14 election, in Santiago, Chile, December 9, 2025. REUTERS/Pablo Sanhueza/File Photo
A person walks past posters supporting Chilean presidential candidate Jose Antonio Kast of the Republican Party in Santiago
Chilean presidential candidate Jeannette Jara joined the Communist Party at the age of 14 but is running on behalf of a broad left-wing coalition
Chilean far-right presidential candidate Jose Antonio Kast believes he will strike lucky on his third attempt for the top office

Overview

  • Chileans vote Sunday in a runoff between Communist-backed Jeannette Jara and Republican Jose Antonio Kast.
  • Polls give Kast a strong lead despite about one-fifth of voters still undecided under mandatory voting.
  • Conservatives eliminated in November have rallied to Kast, positioning him to overtake Jara’s first-round edge.
  • Kast vows to deport roughly 330,000 undocumented migrants, build walls and trenches on the Bolivian border, expand police firepower and deploy troops to hotspots.
  • If elected, Kast would face a split Congress requiring dealmaking, even as critics raise civil-liberties concerns over his hardline record and past praise for Pinochet.