Chile heads for polarised race for president as conservative Kast and leftist Boric make it through first round

Chile’s economic model, which has created rapid growth and strong middle class but left millions of people behind, is said to be at stake

Chileans return to polls next month, choosing between ‘freedom and communism’; winner faces ‘very volatile political environment’

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Supporters of Jose Antonio Kast, presidential candidate of the Republican Party, during an election night rally in Santiago, Chile, on Sunday. Kast and leftist rival Gabriel Boric will square off in a run-off next month, setting the stage for the most divisive election since the return of democracy in 1990. Photo: Bloomberg

Published: 10:08pm, 22 Nov 2021Updated: 3:46am, 23 Nov 2021

Chile faces its most divisive election since the return of democracy in 1990 after conservative Jose Antonio Kast and leftist Gabriel Boric made it through to next month’s presidential run-off.

With almost 100 per cent of ballots counted, Kast had 28 per cent of the vote in Sunday’s first round followed by Boric with 26 per cent, according to data from electoral body Servel. Chileans will return to the polls on December 19 for the second round.

At stake is the future of Chile’s investor-friendly economic model, which has created rapid growth and perhaps the region’s strongest middle class, and yet still left millions of people behind. President Pinera survived an impeachment motion last week and has seen his approval rating tumble to about 16 per cent.

Gabriel Boric, presidential candidate for the Social Convergence party, speaks during an election night rally in Santiago, Chile, on Sunday. Photo: Bloomberg

Boric, a 35-year-old former student leader, wants to overhaul the system by ratcheting up levies on companies, redoing the pension system and boosting social welfare benefits.

But Kast, 55, who pledges lower corporate taxes and the preservation of pro-market rules while campaigning on a law and order, family values platform, fared better than many expected after a late surge in the polls.