Lead
On 16 November 2025 Chileans cast ballots in a presidential first round and a full legislative contest that could reshape national politics. The vote comes three years after Gabriel Boric took office in 2022 amid mass protests and promises to rewrite the Pinochet-era constitution. Boric is ineligible to run again, and his coalition’s candidate, Jeannette Jara, leads a crowded field as the right-wing camp seeks to regain power amid public concern over crime, migration and a slowing economy. If no candidate wins 50 percent on November 16, a runoff is scheduled for December 14, with turnout likely higher because mandatory voting has returned.
Key Takeaways
- First-round voting is on November 16, 2025; a runoff (if needed) will be held on December 14, 2025.
- All 155 seats in the Chamber of Deputies and 23 of 50 Senate seats are contested, making the legislative outcome pivotal for governance.
- Mandatory voting returns for presidential elections for the first time since 2012; Chile had 15,450,377 registered voters in 2024.
- Unity for Chile’s nominee Jeannette Jara leads most polls at roughly 25 percent, with far-right José Antonio Kast around 20 percent; other candidates (Kaiser, Parisi, Matthei) range 10–14 percent.
- Top voter concerns are crime and immigration; Chile’s unemployment rate stands at about 9 percent, among the region’s highest.
- Migration to Chile rose 46.8 percent from 2018 to 2024, though growth slowed to about 4.5 percent from 2022 to 2024, according to national agencies.
- Right-wing fragmentation ahead of November is expected to consolidate in a second round, boosting a single conservative challenger’s chances against the left.
Background
Gabriel Boric’s 2022 victory marked a generational shift: at 36 he won amid protests focused on inequality and the cost of living, and he campaigned on constitutional reform to replace the Pinochet-era charter that enshrined a pro-market framework. The constitutional rewriting effort proved difficult; multiple attempts to produce a broadly accepted new text faltered, sapping momentum for some of Boric’s reforms and leaving unmet expectations among parts of his base.
Chile’s politics over the past decade have been shaped by a tension between market-oriented institutions and rising demands for social protection. The center-left coalition that governed prior to 2022 fragmented and reassembled in new formations; meanwhile, the right has regrouped after defeats, presenting a mix of traditional conservative and harder-line candidates. Economic headwinds and a visible rise in organized crime have shifted public priorities toward security and economic stability.
Main Event
The first round on November 16 will present a fractured field. Jeannette Jara, 51, secured Unity for Chile’s primary in June with roughly 60 percent and brings a working-class profile and a background as labour minister, where she backed a reduction of the workweek from 45 to 40 hours. Her platform emphasizes affordability measures, minimum-wage increases, expanded housing access and a beefed-up public-safety agenda that includes more police training and additional prison capacity.
On the right, José Antonio Kast, 59, leads the Republican Party ticket. Kast narrowly lost to Boric in 2021 and remains a polarizing figure whose campaign stresses strict measures on crime and immigration, cuts to public spending and incentives to boost private investment. He has invoked the leadership example of El Salvador’s Nayib Bukele and promises harsh enforcement against undocumented migrants.
Other contenders include Johannes Kaiser, 49, of the National Libertarian Party, who advocates deeper pro-market reforms and has pushed for policies including broader gun access and capital punishment; Franco Parisi, an independent economist and former broadcaster; and Evelyn Matthei, a centre-right, pro-business figure. With the centre-right and far-right initially fielding multiple candidates, the first round is expected to sort who advances to the December runoff.
Analysis & Implications
A Jara victory would likely keep Chile on a centre-left policy trajectory, but governing would be complicated if the left loses legislative majorities—an outcome possible if right-leaning voters consolidate and turnout rises under mandatory voting. The composition of the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate will determine how much of a new government’s agenda can pass, especially on contentious issues like labour, taxation and constitutional reform.
If Kast or another hard-right candidate reaches the runoff and wins, Chile could shift toward tougher security and migration policies and more market-friendly economic measures. That outcome would signal a rollback of some of Boric’s priorities and could realign Chilean foreign-policy posture, regulatory frameworks and social programs. A rightward shift would also raise questions about institutional checks and the role of public institutions formed after the dictatorship era.
Crime and migration are decisive near-term factors. Although Chile remains relatively safe compared with many Latin American peers, recent spikes in organised theft and corruption have eroded public confidence. Political actors offering rapid, forceful responses gain traction in such climates, yet experts caution that durable reductions in crime typically require integrated strategies—including judicial reform, social programs and cross-border cooperation—beyond short-term security sweeps.
Comparison & Data
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Registered voters (2024) | 15,450,377 |
| Unemployment rate | ~9% |
| Migration change (2018–2024) | +46.8% |
| Migration change (2022–2024) | +4.5% |
| Chamber of Deputies seats | 155 (all up for election) |
| Senate seats up | 23 of 50 |
These figures contextualize how the electoral mechanics and socioeconomic indicators interact. Higher registered voter counts and mandatory voting increase the likelihood that turnout will be substantially above the 47 percent recorded in the 2021 first round. The unemployment figure and migration trends are central to campaign narratives: they inform both the electorate’s anxieties and candidates’ policy offers.
Reactions & Quotes
Business owners and residents in Santiago have voiced security concerns that shape voter sentiment. A nightclub owner spoke to news outlets about adapting to rising theft and street violence, describing investments in private security and surveillance to protect livelihoods.
“I installed cameras and hired guards to protect my business on busy nights,”
The Associated Press (paraphrased testimony)
Campaign teams and analysts offered brisk interpretations of polling and public sentiment. Supporters of hardline candidates emphasize immediate enforcement measures; supporters of the left underscore structural reforms to reduce inequality and crime drivers.
“Our priority is restoring public order and enforcing immigration rules,”
Campaign statement attributed to a top-right candidate (paraphrase)
Unconfirmed
- Any claim that a single right-wing candidate will automatically win a runoff is not confirmed; consolidation is likely but voter shifts in a runoff are uncertain.
- Reports of specific, large-scale deportation operations announced by any candidate remain policy pledges and have not been implemented.
- Allegations tying migration directly to crime spikes are contested; causal links are the subject of ongoing study and debate.
Bottom Line
The November 16 vote is more than a presidential preference test: it will shape the legislature and set the political terrain for the next four years. Jeannette Jara leads initial polls, but a fragmented right could unite in a runoff and change the outcome. Voter turnout—likely boosted by mandatory voting—will be a decisive variable that can either entrench the current centre-left coalition or enable a rightward correction.
Policymakers and observers should watch turnout patterns, runoff alliances, and whether security and migration rhetoric translates into coherent, implementable policy. Regardless of the winner, the election will be a barometer of public appetite for reform, stability and the balance between rights and security in Chilean democracy.