With a 16.6-point lead, the far-right candidate won the second round of elections held today, December 14 [2025], making Kast the President-elect of Chile.
This was not a surprise, as polls had already predicted his victory, but the percentages varied slightly from what was expected. Communist candidate Jeannette Jara received 41.79% of the vote, while the winner garnered 58.21%.
Invalid votes accounted for 5.83%, while blank votes made up 1.23%, both fairly typical percentages.
Thus, Gabriel Boric will have to hand over the government on March 11, 2026, to his opponent in the previous runoff election, who will now impose what he has called an “emergency” government, reducing many fiscal budgets, the number of ministries, and focusing on security policies and measures against immigrants.
Progressivism thus loses the opportunity to continue governing, as has already happened in so many Latin American countries, where the far-right wave has been gaining strength during this historical moment characterized by a severe global crisis.
Upon learning the results, President Boric called Kast to say, “I congratulate you on your clear victory. I am very proud of democracy and have instructed all my staff to be ready for any necessary coordination. I invite you to La Moneda Palace tomorrow to discuss the necessary continuity face-to-face.”
Upon conceding defeat, Jeannette Jara stated, “Rest assured that we will continue working together for a better country. Today, democracy spoke loud and clear. We wish Kast success for the good of Chile. It is in defeat that we learn the most, and it is there that our democratic conviction must be strongest. I will continue working to ensure that life in our country is not an uphill battle. We will have to be in the opposition, and the path of unity is the only path worth taking. We have built a broad, historic alliance; we have a political, social, and cultural force that we must nurture. Today, there is no room for discouragement; the work continues.” Work, social justice, democracy, and respect for human rights must move forward, and we will not back down. We will be steadfast in protecting what we have achieved. We will condemn violence, wherever it comes from. For the good of Chile, let us leave behind the bitterness and hatred that characterized this campaign. We must listen, and do so with humility. We must reflect deeply on the conditions that led to this defeat. I remain hopeful that a just Chile is possible. Unity is fundamental, and we must broaden and strengthen it. Defeat is always brief; tomorrow we return to work, fighting with courage, and we will meet again, together and standing tall.
If there’s one word to define the future Chilean government supported by all the various right-wing factions, it’s its characteristic anti-humanism, which has been explicitly displayed throughout this long election campaign.
