Chileans are casting their ballots in a highly polarized presidential and congressional election that could dramatically reshape the country’s political landscape. More than 15 million registered voters are deciding whether Chile will continue on its current centre-left trajectory or shift sharply to the right, following trends seen in neighboring countries like Argentina.

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Key Presidential Contenders

The two frontrunners represent starkly contrasting visions for Chile’s future:

• Jeannette Jara, 51, is the candidate from the Unidad por Chile coalition, representing the Communist Party and the governing leftist coalition. Recent polls indicate she is slightly ahead in voter intention.
• Jose Antonio Kast, 59, of the Republican Party, has campaigned on a hardline platform, promising “drastic measures” to combat gang violence and mass deportations of undocumented immigrants. Kast has drawn comparisons to former U.S. President Donald Trump for his populist rhetoric and tough stance on security and immigration.

With eight candidates on the ballot, polls suggest that no contender will secure an outright majority, likely triggering a run-off election on December 14, 2025.

Outgoing left-wing President Gabriel Boric is constitutionally barred from seeking consecutive re-election, leaving the field open for a major political shift.

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Security and Immigration Dominate Campaign

The 2025 election campaign has been dominated by concerns over rising crime and immigration, issues that have heightened public anxiety across Chile. Although Chile remains one of Latin America’s safest nations, a decade-long increase in murders, kidnappings, and extortion has fueled calls for stronger law enforcement measures.

Under Boric’s leadership, the homicide rate has decreased by 10% since 2022, reaching six per 100,000 people, slightly higher than the U.S. rate. However, Chileans continue to express concern over growing gang activity, which they attribute partly to migrants from Venezuela and other Latin American nations.

Kast has pledged to construct walls, fences, and trenches along the border with Bolivia, the primary entry point for undocumented migrants, and has already issued ultimatums to roughly 337,000 undocumented immigrants to self-deport or face expulsion and loss of property.

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Legislative Stakes

In addition to the presidency, the elections will determine the composition of Chile’s legislature:

• All 155 seats in the Chamber of Deputies are up for grabs.
• 23 of 50 Senate seats are contested.

Currently, the governing leftist coalition holds a minority in both chambers. If the right-wing Republican Party secures majorities, it could lead to unified right-wing control of both the presidency and Congress for the first time since the end of Augusto Pinochet’s dictatorship in 1990.

Mandatory voting rules apply for all registered voters, and the participation of previously apathetic or undecided voters could prove decisive in this tightly contested election.

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Conclusion

Chile’s 2025 elections represent a critical moment in the nation’s democratic trajectory, with far-reaching implications for security, immigration, and legislative governance. The polarized choice between Jeannette Jara and Jose Antonio Kast underscores the broader ideological struggle between leftist governance and far-right populism in Latin America, making this one of the most consequential elections in Chile’s recent history.