Overview
- More than 15.7 million registered Chileans, including eligible voters abroad at consulates, must vote on Sunday, December 14, in the Jara–Kast presidential runoff under compulsory voting rules.
- Jeannette Jara led the first round on November 16 with about 26.8% to José Antonio Kast’s 23.9%, but late polls before the blackout period showed Kast opening a substantial advantage.
- Roughly 2.55 million first‑round voters for Franco Parisi are the key wildcard after he said he will cast a blank ballot, leaving his anti‑establishment base unpredictable.
- Security and irregular migration have defined the campaign, with Kast proposing a hardline ‘Plan Implacable’ that includes criminalizing irregular entry, mass expulsions and tougher prison regimes.
- Jara closed with an upbeat appeal to centrists, highlighting pension, wages, housing and health measures, tougher crime controls and a pledge to suspend or quit Communist Party membership if elected.