Chileans head to polls in highly polarized presidential, parliamentary elections

BOGOTA, Colombia

Chileans are heading to the polls Sunday for parliamentary elections and a highly polarized presidential race that has narrowed into a contest between the far left and the far right.

With no candidate expected to win an outright majority, the race for the presidency is almost certainly heading to a Dec. 14 runoff.

Eight candidates are vying for the presidency, but the battle for the Palacio de la Moneda is between the ruling coalition's leftist candidate and the ultra-conservative opposition leader.

Jeannette Jara, of the Communist Party, a 51-year-old former minister of labor and social welfare under President Gabriel Boric, is the candidate for the governing Unity for Chile coalition. She leads the race with approximately 25% - 30% of the vote intention, according to major polls like Cadem and Activa.

Jose Antonio Kast, the far-right founder of the Republican Party, who lost the 2021 runoff to Boric, is polling second, with about 15% - 20% support.

The right-wing vote remains divided, which is hindering any one candidate from consolidating enough support to win in the first round.

Johannes Kaiser, of the National Libertarian Party, is a far-right deputy and YouTuber, who has garnered significant support, particularly among younger right-leaning voters. He polls between 10% and 14%.

Evelyn Matthei, of the Independent Democratic Union, represents Chile’s more traditional right wing. She is the former labor minister under President Sebastián Pinera and is polling strongly, between 11% and 14%.

The election marks the first time that voting will be compulsory for all eligible citizens, leading to an expectation of significantly higher turnout than in previous years. Approximately 15.7 million people are eligible to vote.

The election is carried out amid soaring public anxiety about domestic issues, with rising crime and immigration consistently dominating voter concerns in polls.

In addition to the presidency, citizens will renew the entire Chamber of Deputies and half of the Senate in the simultaneous parliamentary elections.

Polling stations will be open from 8 am to 6 pm local time (1300GMT to 2300GMT), with the new president scheduled to take office on March 11, 2026.