Particle.news
Download on the App Store

Chile Presidential Race Heads to Dec. 14 Runoff as Jara Leads First Round

Right‑wing endorsements position José Antonio Kast as the runoff favorite despite Jeannette Jara’s first‑round lead.

Overview

  • Partial official counts from Servel with 52.39% tallied put Jeannette Jara at 26.58% and José Antonio Kast at 24.32%, sending both to a second round.
  • Eliminated conservatives Johannes Kaiser and Evelyn Matthei swiftly endorsed Kast, signaling consolidation of the right‑wing vote.
  • Security and migration dominated the campaign, with Kast pushing hard‑line border and deportation plans and Jara promising more police and financial tools against organized crime.
  • This is Chile’s first presidential contest under compulsory voting and automatic registration, obliging more than 15.7 million citizens to cast ballots.
  • Analysts and polls report that the combined right‑wing first‑round vote makes Kast the favorite in a head‑to‑head matchup on December 14.