Chile’s Presidential Race Heats Up Ahead of November Election

Chile’s 2025 presidential election campaign officially launched this week, setting the stage for a high-stakes contest on November 16 that could shift the country to the right. The leading contenders are Communist Party candidate Jeannette Jara and conservative rival Jose Antonio Kast of the Republican Party, who previously lost to current President Gabriel Boric in 2021 but is now viewed as a strong challenger.

The race features eight candidates, including veteran conservative Evelyn Matthei of the Independent Democratic Union. Once a frontrunner, Matthei now polls third at 18%, while Jara and Kast remain neck-and-neck, with recent Cadem polling showing Jara at 26% and Kast at 25%.

If no candidate secures more than 50% in the first round, a December 14 runoff will determine the winner. Analysts suggest a Kast–Jara matchup could favor Kast, despite his far-right positions, given voter dissatisfaction with the left.

The political environment has shifted since Boric’s 2021 victory, which followed mass protests and a push for a progressive constitution. That constitution was later rejected, and Boric’s government has struggled with rising crime, immigration, and economic challenges. Public concerns about safety have become a central campaign issue, despite Chile remaining one of Latin America’s safest nations.

Kast has campaigned on tough security measures, including closing borders, building maximum-security prisons, and deploying the military in high-crime areas. Jara, meanwhile, calls for boosting police funding, expanding social programs, and introducing biometric border controls.

The outcome could mark another setback for Latin America’s left, echoing recent rightward shifts in Argentina, Bolivia, and Ecuador. With Brazil and Colombia also heading into pivotal elections next year, Chile’s results may signal broader regional change.