Chile’s 2025 presidential election — first round on Nov 16, likely runoff on Dec 14 — could mark a political reversal after failed attempts to replace the Pinochet-era constitution. Jeannette Jara leads polls at ~25% while far-right José Antonio Kast is near 20%. Key issues: crime, immigration and a slowing economy (unemployment ~9%). Mandatory voting returns and potential right-wing consolidation make the outcome pivotal for Chile’s direction.
Could Chile’s 2025 Vote Trigger a Major Political Reversal?
Chile’s 2025 presidential election — first round on Nov 16, likely runoff on Dec 14 — could mark a political reversal after failed attempts to replace the Pinochet-era constitution. Jeannette Jara leads polls at ~25% while far-right José Antonio Kast is near 20%. Key issues: crime, immigration and a slowing economy (unemployment ~9%). Mandatory voting returns and potential right-wing consolidation make the outcome pivotal for Chile’s direction.
01:44 PM, 11/15/2025Politics
Could Chile’s 2025 Vote Trigger a Major Political Reversal?
When Gabriel Boric took office in 2022, many Chileans hailed his victory as the start of a new political chapter. The young leftist leader rode a wave of mass protests over the rising cost of living and pledged to oversee a rewrite of Chile’s 1980 constitution, enacted under General Augusto Pinochet and long credited with embedding a pro-market model.
Where the race stands
After several failed efforts to replace that charter, Chile now appears poised for a possible political turn. Boric is constitutionally barred from immediate re-election, and the conservative right sees an opening amid rising public concern over crime, immigration and the economy.
The first round of voting is scheduled for November 16, 2025. To win outright, a candidate must secure 50% of the vote; otherwise the top two move to a runoff on December 14, 2025. The November vote will also determine all 155 seats in the Chamber of Deputies and 23 of 50 Senate seats.
Turnout and voting rules
Mandatory voting returns for presidential elections for the first time since 2012, and turnout is expected to rise significantly. In the first round of 2021, participation was roughly 47%; turnout for obligatory constitutional referendums has exceeded 80%. There were 15,450,377 registered voters in Chile as of 2024, according to the electoral agency.
Main contenders
Jeannette Jara (51) is the Unity for Chile coalition’s nominee. A former labour minister under Boric, she won a June primary with about 60% of the vote. Jara is campaigning on affordability — higher minimum wages and more affordable housing — and has highlighted public-safety measures such as additional police training and expanded prison capacity. Her Communist Party affiliation and working-class background make her a notable figure in contemporary Chilean politics.
On the right, the vote is initially fragmented. The most prominent contender is José Antonio Kast (59), leader of the Republican Party and a hard-right former congressman who lost to Boric in 2021. Kast emphasizes tough crime and immigration policies, has cited El Salvador’s Nayib Bukele as an influence, and has voiced support for aspects of the Pinochet era. If the election goes to a second round, analysts expect many right-wing voters to coalesce around whoever faces Jara.
Other notable candidates include Johannes Kaiser (49), a National Libertarian deputy and former YouTuber who advocates deeper pro-market reforms and more permissive firearms policies; independent economist and former radio host Franco Parisi; and centre-right politician Evelyn Matthei.
What the polls say
Polling averages from the Americas Society/Council of the Americas show Jara leading at roughly 25%, with Kast near 20%. Kaiser and Parisi have attracted modest support, polling in the 10–14% range; Matthei polls around 11–14%. These figures suggest a likely runoff, where the consolidation of the right could be decisive.
Top issues for voters
Recent surveys show crime and immigration topping voters’ concerns, followed by unemployment and health. Chile remains relatively safe compared with many Latin American countries, but a recent rise in organized criminal activity, corruption and theft has unsettled citizens.
“I had to install remote surveillance cameras [and] chain the tables, and on weekends I hired a security guard to help keep watch,”
— Leidy Paredes, nightclub owner in Santiago, to The Associated Press.
Right-wing candidates have pushed for an "iron-fisted" approach to crime, while leftist contenders such as Jara accuse opponents of fearmongering even as they propose tougher measures of their own. Experts caution that complex security challenges cannot be solved by force alone.
Immigration has become highly politicized following a substantial influx of migrants and asylum seekers, many fleeing crises in Venezuela. Government reports indicate migration to Chile rose by 46.8% between 2018 and 2024, though the increase from 2022 to 2024 was about 4.5%. Politicians often link migration to crime and economic strain; policy proposals range from mass deportations to temporary registration systems for undocumented arrivals.
Chile’s economic slowdown is another central factor. An unemployment rate near 9% — among the highest in the region — is intensifying voter anxiety and shaping campaign promises on jobs and living costs.
Why this election matters
With mandatory voting returning and public worries about safety, migration and the economy, the November 16 vote — and a likely December 14 runoff — could determine whether Chile continues along the left-leaning path set since 2021 or shifts back toward conservative rule. The composition of Congress after this election will also shape policymaking for years to come.