2021 Chilean general election

General elections were held in Chile on 21 November 2021, including presidential, parliamentary and regional elections. Voters went to the polls to elect the President of the Republic to serve a four-year term, 27 of 50 members of the Senate to serve an eight-year term in the National Congress, all 155 members of the Chamber of Deputies to serve a four-year term in the National Congress, and all 302 members of the regional boards to serve a three-year term.[a] Following an electoral reform in 2015, the Senate increased its membership from 38 to 43 in 2017 and grew to its full size of 50 seats after this election.[1]

2021 Chilean general election

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2025 →
Presidential election
21 November 2021 (first round)
19 December 2021 (second round)
 
CandidateGabriel BoricJosé Antonio Kast
PartySocial ConvergenceRepublican
AllianceApruebo DignidadChristian Social Front
Popular vote4,620,8903,650,088
Percentage55.87%44.13%


President before election

Sebastián Piñera
Independent

Elected President

Gabriel Boric
Social Convergence

Parliamentary election

All 155 seats in the Chamber of Deputies
27 of 50 seats in the Senate
Party%Seats+/–
Chamber of Deputies
Chile Podemos Más

25.4353−19
Apruebo Dignidad

20.9437+17
New Social Pact

17.1637−6
Christian Social Front

11.1815New
Party of the People

8.456New
Dignidad Ahora

5.103New
Green

4.832New
United Independents

2.961New
Independents

1.4410
Senate
Chile Podemos Más

27.8624+5
Apruebo Dignidad

19.575+4
New Social Pact

15.5918+3
Christian Social Front

8.621New
Independents

9.312+1
This lists parties that won seats. See the complete results below.

Despite narrowly trailing behind conservative candidate José Antonio Kast in the first round of the presidential election, leftist candidate Gabriel Boric emerged as the winner of the second round with 55.87% of the vote. This margin was larger than what was predicted by pre-election polls.[2] Kast conceded defeat shortly after the polls closed.[3][4] At the age of 35, Boric became the youngest president ever elected in Chile and also set a record for receiving the highest number of votes in Chilean history. The turnout in the second round increased to 55.7%, which was the highest since voting became voluntary in Chile in 2013.

For the parliamentary election, the center-right coalition Chile Podemos Más kept its position as the largest bloc in both chambers and even increased their number of senators, despite losing more than 10 percentage points from the previous election. In the left wing, the new coalition Apruebo Dignidad had important gains at the expense of the center-left New Social Pact (NPS), becoming the second largest bloc in the Chamber of Deputies. However, NPS kept more seats in the Senate. New parties, such as the far-right Republican Party and the populist Party of the People, also gained several seats. Consequently, the newly elected Congress was split evenly between the combined left and right,[b] with the non-aligned congresspeople holding the balance of power.[6]

On 11 March 2022 all the newly elected authorities, including president-elect Boric, took office.[7]

Analysis

The 2021 Chilean election cycle was notable for its polarization, representing a departure from the country's political normality. Against the backdrop of the 2019 protests, the writing of a new constitution, and the COVID-19 pandemic,[8] the dominant center-left and center-right coalitions that had ruled the country since the end of the military dictatorship experienced a significant drop in support in the elections for mayors, governors, and members of the Constitutional Convention held on May 15 and 16.

In the subsequent presidential election, candidates from the traditional centrist coalitions finished in fourth and fifth place, while two candidates from newly formed parties and coalitions, Kast and Boric, qualified for the second round.[9] This represented a departure from the country's political history, which had repeatedly seen power bounce between center-right and center-left parties with little structural movement between presidents.

The desire for change among voters led them to reject the traditional political parties and support candidates from new parties. Kast of the far-right Republican Party ran a campaign on populist and Christian conservative values, emphasizing "law and order" and drawing comparisons with former US president Donald Trump and Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro.[10] In contrast, Boric, a member of the left-wing Apruebo Dignidad coalition, campaigned on a progressive message reflecting the ideas behind the 2019 protests. He advocated for broadening the social safety net, higher taxes on the wealthy, combating climate change, social justice, and change to the current privatized pension system. Boric also supported the ongoing writing of a new Chilean constitution, while Kast repeatedly said he would interfere to stop its ratification if elected.

Electoral system

The President is elected using the two-round system; if no candidate receives a majority of the vote in the first round, a second round will be held.[11]

The 50 members of the Senate are elected for eight-year terms, with around half of the Senators renewed at each general election. Senators are elected from 16 multi-member constituencies of between two and five seats based on the regions. Seats are filled by party list proportional representation. Each voter votes for one party list or list of a coalition. Seats are allocated by the d'Hondt method.The 2021 elections saw 27 members elected, representing the regions of Antofagasta, Biobío, Coquimbo, O'Higgins, Los Lagos, Los Ríos, Magallanes and Santiago Metropolitan Region. (Vacancies of seats arising between general elections are filled by a person selected by the same party.)[12][1]

In the National Congress, the 155 members of the Chamber of Deputies are elected from 28 multi-member constituencies with between three and eight seats by party list proportional representation. Each voter votes for one party list or list of a coalition. Seats are allocated by the d'Hondt method. (Vacancies of seats arising between general elections are filled by a person selected by the same party.)[13] [2]

Presidential candidates

Summary of candidates

Below is the list of candidacies for president accepted by the Electoral Service on 27 August 2021.[14] Boric's and Sichel's candidacies were automatically accepted after they were proclaimed the winner of their respective primaries by the Election Court.[15]

CandidateEndorsementIdeology

Gabriel Boric
Social Convergence
Apruebo Dignidad:

José Antonio Kast
Republican Party
Christian Social Front:

Yasna Provoste
Christian Democratic Party
New Social Pact:

Sebastián Sichel
Independent
Chile Podemos Más:

Eduardo Artés
Patriotic Union
Patriotic Union:

Marco Enríquez-Ominami
Progressive Party
Progressive Party

Franco Parisi
Party of the People
Party of the People

Apruebo Dignidad

Apruebo Dignidad
Gabriel Boric
(Social Convergence)
Deputy for Magallanes
(2014–2022)

The Apruebo Dignidad coalition decided its presidential candidate in the publicly-funded primaries held nationwide on 18 July 2021, won by lawmaker Gabriel Boric with 60% of the vote.[16]

On 17 March 2021, Boric's party, Social Convergence, proclaimed him as its presidential candidate.[17] The Commons Party's leadership also announced on 17 March 2021 that it would propose Boric as its presidential candidate in a meeting of the party's leadership the following Saturday.[18] On 23 March 2021, Democratic Revolution, the coalition's largest party, proclaimed Boric as its presidential candidate.[19] On 29 May 2021, the Common Force movement gave its support to Boric, after he beat Marcelo Díaz in a plebiscite held on May 27–28.[20] On 17 August 2021, the Acción Humanista movement proclaimed him as its candidate.[21]

Defeated in primary

Dropped out

  • Marcelo Díaz (Unir): In November 2020 the Unir Movement presented the deputy and former spokesman as pre-candidate.[26] On 18 May 2021 he dropped out of the race and lent his support to Boric.[27]
  • Jaime Mulet (FRVS): The current president of the FRVS and deputy was proclaimed as his party's presidential candidate in September 2020.[26] In May 2021, he received the support of the Christian Left movement.[28] On 8 July 2021, the FRVS chose to support the candidacy of Daniel Jadue.[29]

Chile Podemos Más

Chile Podemos Más
Sebastián Sichel
(Independent)
Minister of Social Development
(2019-2020)

The Chile Podemos Más center-right coalition (previously Chile Vamos) participated in the publicly-funded primaries held nationwide on 18 July 2021.[30] Former minister Sebastián Sichel beat the other three candidates by 49% of the vote.[31]

Sichel was minister of Social Development and president of BancoEstado during the second administration of President Sebastián Piñera. He participated as an independent candidate in the Chile Podemos Más primary, supported by former PDC supporters and other centrist political movements.[32]

Defeated in primary

  • Ignacio Briones (Evópoli): Briones is a university professor and economist who served as minister of Finance between 2019 and 2021. He was unanimously proclaimed by the Political Evolution party as their presidential candidate on 30 January 2021.[33] He describes himself as a social liberal and seeks to promote liberal policies, although he is against abortion.
  • Mario Desbordes (RN): Desbordes became minister of Defense in July 2020. Before that, he was a member of the Chamber of Deputies. He was also president of his party between 2018 and 2020 and secretary-general between 2010 and 2018. During the first administration of President Sebastián Piñera, he had a stint as undersecretary of Investigations. He was proclaimed by the PRI party as their candidate on 29 December 2020.[34] On 23 January 2021 his own party, RN, chose him as their contender for the Chile Vamos primary race after winning nearly 73% of the vote of the General Council.[35]
  • Joaquín Lavín (UDI): Lavín studied economics at the University of Chicago. He was a presidential candidate in the 1999 and 2005 elections. He was also an economic appraiser of the neoliberal policies of Chile's military dictatorship. As mayor of Las Condes he actively promoted social housing programs for the poor and social integration with the rest of the cities, as well as enlarged use of technology in law enforcement and moderate social policies.[36] He appeared as the candidate with the most support in most opinion polls.[37][38][39][40]

Did not run

New Social Pact

New Social Pact
Yasna Provoste
(Christian Democratic Party)
Senator for Atacama
(since 2018)
President of the Senate
(2021)

Christian Democrat Senator Yasna Provoste won the primary election held by the New Social Pact center-left coalition (formerly Constituent Unity) on August 21, 2021, with over 60% of the vote and a turnout of around 150,000.[44] On May 30, 2021, Provoste had expressed her willingness to compete if her party deemed it necessary.[45] She officially launched her candidacy on July 23, 2021, during a ceremony in her hometown of Vallenar, in northern Chile. On August 17, 2021, the Christian Democratic Party proclaimed her as their candidate.[46]

The other primary candidates, Paula Narváez and Carlos Maldonado, urged the need for a primary to determine a single candidate[47][48] after the coalition failed to come to an agreement to participate in the national publicly-funded primaries held on July 18, 2021.[49]

Defeated in primary

  • Carlos Maldonado (PR): The former minister of Justice and current president of the Radical Party was proclaimed as presidential candidate on 23 December 2020.[50] On 20 May 2021 he announced he would go straight to the November election.[51] On July 3, 2021, he backtracked on his decision and declared himself available to compete in a possible coalition primary.[52]
  • Paula Narváez (PS): The former minister was proclaimed by the Socialist Party's Central Committee as its presidential candidate on 28 January 2021 in a unanimous vote.[53] Her candidacy emerged after a December 2020 Change.org petition made by female members of the PS asking Narváez to become the party's candidate was signed by former president Michelle Bachelet.[54] In January 2021 both senator José Miguel Insulza and PS president Álvaro Elizalde dropped out of the race.[55] On 5 June 2021 the PPD officially proclaimed her as its candidate.[56]

Dropped out

Christian Social Front

Christian Social Front
José Antonio Kast
(Chilean Republican Party)
Deputy for La Reina and Peñalolén
(2002–2018)

In May 2021, José Antonio Kast dismissed the idea of holding a presidential primary with Chile Vamos.[64][65][66] On August 6, 2021, the Christian Conservative Party, along with the Republican Party and other independents, registered the Christian Social Front pact with the Electoral Service for the parliamentary elections in November.[67][68] Kast officially registered his candidacy before the Electoral Service on 19 August 2021.[69][70]

Other candidates

  • Eduardo Artés (UP): The current president of the UP was confirmed by his party as its presidential candidate in June 2021.[71]
  • Marco Enríquez-Ominami (PRO): In February 2021, his party asked the three-time presidential candidate to be once again their contender for the November 2021 election.[72] On 23 July PRO's president, Camilo Lagos, said they would either participate in a primary or present a candidate directly to the November election. If their preferred choice, Enríquez-Ominami, was unable to run due legal restrictions, he stated that they would support senator Alejandro Guillier as their candidate.[73] On 26 July 2021 the PRO declared they would not participate in the Constituent Unity primary to take place on 21 August 2021.[74] On 4 September 2021 a regional electoral tribunal (TER) ordered his name to be removed from the electoral roll, thus disqualifying him from seeking office.[75] However, he appealed successfully to the Election Certification Board (Tricel).[76]
  • Franco Parisi (PDG): Parisi is an economist who ran for president in 2013, gaining 10% of the vote. He registered his candidacy for president on 23 August 2021.[77]

Rejected

  • Diego Ancalao (independent): Ancalao is a Mapuche activist. He was proclaimed on 20 August 2021 by the List of the People, a leftist movement, after he garnered more endorsements from independent electors at the Electoral Service's online platform than the other two candidates in competition, Soledad Mella and Ingrid Conejeros, between 12 and 19 August 2021.[78][79] The Electoral Service, though, rejected his candidacy on 26 August 2021 on the grounds he did not provide the required minimum number of endorsements from independent electors.[80]
  • Gino Lorenzini (independent): Lorenzini is an economist and entrepreneur. He registered his candidacy for president on 23 August 2021, presenting over 42 thousand endorsements from independent electors, more than the minimum required by law.[81] However, the Electoral Service rejected his candidacy on 26 August 2021 because the law requires independent candidates to hold their status as independent for up to a year before the election, and he was part of the Party of the People during some of that time.[80]

Declined to be candidates

  • Pamela Jiles (PH): Jiles is a journalist,[82] television personality and leftist politician. She pursues her political career as deputy for District 12 in the Santiago Metropolitan Region. She comes from a family of communists and has praised Fidel Castro.[83] She appeared as a potential presidential candidate with the most support in just one opinion poll.[37] After her partner lost the Santiago governor race in May 2021, she withdrew her name from consideration.[84]
  • Izkia Siches (independent): Siches is a physician who has served as president of the Chilean Medical College since 2017.[85] A self-described feminist[86] and past member of the Communist Youth,[87] Siches became nationally known during the COVID-19 pandemic for her criticisms of the government's handling of public health measures.[88] Her high approval ratings during the pandemic[89] led to speculation she would run for president, but she ultimately declined.[90][85]
  • René Rubeska (PNC): In June 2021, the National Citizen Party had announced its intention to bring its president René Rubeska as presidential candidate.[91] However, the party was unable to gather the necessary signatures to register his candidacy.

Debates

Media outlet and dateLocationModerators P  Present  S  Substitute  A  Absent  NI  Not invited
BoricKastProvosteSichelArtésME-OParisi
CNN Chile-Chilevisión
22 September 2021[92]
Santiago Metropolitan RegionMónica Rincón
Daniel Matamala
PPPPPAA
La Tercera
Confederation of Production and Commerce
24 September 2021[93]
Santiago Metropolitan RegionMaría José O'Shea
Juan Sutil Servoin
APPPAAA
TVN-24 Horas
Canal 13
Mega-Mega Plus
11 October 2021[94]
Santiago Metropolitan RegionMatías del Río

Mónica Pérez

Juan Manuel Astorga

PPPPPPA
Chilean Radio Broadcasters Association (Archi)
15 October 2021[95]
Santiago Metropolitan RegionJessika Casteñeda

Cony Stipicic
Carolina Urrejola
Verónica Franco
Nicolás Vergara

PPPPPPA
La Red

Escenarios Hídricos 2030
Fundación Chile
Fundación Avina
Fundación Futuro Latinoamericano
21 October 2021[96]

Santiago Metropolitan Region
(Candidates remotely)
Julia VialPAPPAPP
University of Chile Debate 2021

(University of Chile, Radio Cooperativa, Radio UChile, UChile TV)
1 November 2021[97]

Santiago Metropolitan RegionEnnio Vivaldi

Sergio Campos
Yasna Lewin
Paula Molina
Jennifer Abate
Rodrigo Vergara
Antonella Estévez
Patricio López

PAPPPPA
Debate Es Turno del Planeta

(Canal 13, El Desconcierto, Cobertura, CON-CIENCIA, Escazu Ahora Chile, Portada Soñada)
5 November 2021[98]

Santiago Metropolitan Region
(Candidates remotely)
Felipe Gerdtzen

Andrea Obaid

PAPPPPP
Encuentro Nacional de la Empresa

11 November 2021[99]

Santiago Metropolitan RegionSoledad OnettoPPPPAPA
National Television Association (ANATEL)
15 November 2021[100]
Santiago Metropolitan RegionIvan Valenzuela
Constanza Santa María
Juan Manuel Astorga
PPPPPPA

Endorsements

After the first round, candidates Sichel and Parisi endorsed Kast.[101]

Boric was endorsed by Enríquez-Ominami and Provoste.[102] Former President Michelle Bachelet returned to Chile from her role as UN Human Rights High Commissioner to formally endorse Boric.[103]

On 9 December, parliamentarians and public figures from over 15 countries signed a statement endorsing Boric.[104]

Gabriel Boric (CS)
Executive officials
National officials
Local officials
Individuals
International politicians
Organizations
José Antonio Kast (PLR)
Executive officials
Individuals
International politicians
Parties and orgnanisations

Opinion polls

First round

Results considering only official candidates (excluding "Other", "Don't know", "Do not vote", etc.) and general voters, excluding polls showing likely voters or non-national samples.

Second round

Results considering only official candidates (excluding "Other", "Don't know", "Do not vote", etc.) and general voters, excluding polls only with likely voters. Average of polls every 3 days.

Public transport inefficiency

On the day of the second round on 19 December, voters at bus stops in rural parts of the country, and large municipalities in the Santiago Metropolitan Region, such as Puente Alto, San Bernardo, and Maipú, waited hours for public bus services in the blazing sun to reach their polling stations, due to a shortage of public bus services available on that day.

Soon after these reports came in, local authorities and citizens in these municipalities took to social media to show Red Metropolitana de Movilidad bus terminals and parking decks full of unused city buses. This led to speculation that the incumbent government was suppressing voters by reducing bus services to prevent them from casting their votes. Apparently, most complaints of delays came from neighborhoods where Gabriel Boric had stronger levels of support.

Leading figures from Boric's campaign, such as Izkia Siches cried foul, accusing the government of trying to help Kast win the election. Boric said "the government has a responsibility" to solve the problem to allow voters to be ferried to vote with the unused buses. The elections authority Servel expressed similar concerns to Transport Minister Gloria Hutt.[128]

The government spokesman Jaime Bellolio called the Boric campaign's claim as a "blatant lie", and denied that the government was suppressing voters, claiming that there were between 5,000 and 6,000 buses running in the Metropolitan Region. However, this was contradicted by transport authorities, which stated that only 3,000 buses were operating. The transport authority however, also stressed that the number of buses was 55 percent more than a usual Sunday and between 3 percent or 4 percent greater than on the first round of election in November.[129]

A Transantiago bus driver claimed that only 40 percent of the bus drivers available were driving that day, despite statements from the government that they were operating buses on a normal work schedule. As a result, carpools were organized through social media, while private services like Uber and Cabify offered ride discounts for voters to travel to polling stations.[130]

In the evening, just before polls closed, Transport Minister Gloria Hutt apologized, acknowledging the government was slow to react to the situation and blamed the delays on road work and traffic, but denied that the government was engaging in voter suppression.[130]

Results

President

Turnout for the second round rose by 1.2 million from the first round, and from 47.3% in the first round to 55.6%, the highest level for any Chilean election since voting ceased to be compulsory in 2012.[131]

Gabriel Boric won the election with 55.9% of the vote and is set to become the youngest president in Chile's history and youngest state leader in the world.[132][133]

A post-election survey showed that despite their endorsement of Kast, 59% of Parisi's voters and 23% of Sichel's voters voted for Boric, while 82% of Yasna Provoste's supporters, 83% of Marco Enríquez-Ominami's supporters, and 92% of Eduardo Artés's supporters voted for Boric.[134]

CandidatePartyFirst roundSecond round
Votes%Votes%
Gabriel BoricApruebo Dignidad (CS)1,815,02425.824,620,89055.87
José Antonio KastChristian Social Front (PLR)1,961,77927.913,650,08844.13
Franco ParisiParty of the People900,06412.81
Sebastián SichelChile Podemos Más898,63512.79
Yasna ProvosteNew Social Pact (PDC)815,56311.60
Marco Enríquez-OminamiProgressive Party534,3837.60
Eduardo ArtésPatriotic Union (PC-AP)102,8971.46
Total7,028,345100.008,270,978100.00
Valid votes7,028,34598.798,270,97898.89
Invalid votes55,4800.7868,8020.82
Blank votes30,4930.4324,1300.29
Total votes7,114,318100.008,363,910100.00
Registered voters/turnout15,030,97447.3315,030,97455.64
Source: Election Certification Court (final first round results), Servel (final second round results)

Chamber of Deputies


Distribution by party (left) and coalitions (right)
Party or allianceVotes%Seats+/–
Chile Podemos MásNational Renewal693,47410.9625–11
Independent Democratic Union671,50210.6123–7
Evópoli221,2843.504–2
Democratic Independent Regionalist Party23,2220.371+1
Total1,609,48225.4353–19
Apruebo DignidadComunes207,6073.286+5
Communist Party464,8857.3512+4
Social Convergence287,1904.549New
Democratic Revolution257,8544.078–2
Social Green Regionalist Federation107,6961.702–2
Total1,325,23220.9437+14
New Social PactSocialist Party343,4375.4313–6
Christian Democratic Party264,9854.198–6
Party for Democracy242,9273.847–1
Radical Party111,1171.764–4
Liberal Party96,0101.524+2
Citizens27,5020.431+1
Total1,085,97817.1637–14
Christian Social FrontRepublican Party666,72610.5414New
Christian Conservative Party40,5600.641New
Total707,28611.1815New
Party of the People534,8818.456New
Dignidad AhoraHumanist Party195,4093.093–2
Equality Party127,5062.010–1
Total322,9155.103–3
Green Ecologist Party305,4434.832+1
United IndependentsUnited Centre177,1052.801New
National Citizen Party10,2910.160New
Total187,3962.961New
Patriotic Union56,5060.8900
Revolutionary Workers Party51,0750.8100
Progressive Party46,4220.730–1
New Time4,4200.070New
Independents90,9601.4410
Total6,327,996100.001550
Valid votes6,327,99689.48
Invalid votes339,4704.80
Blank votes404,7625.72
Total votes7,072,228100.00
Registered voters/turnout15,030,96347.05
Source: Servicio Electoral de Chile. (99.98%)

Senate


Seat distribution by party (left) and coalitions (right)
Party or allianceVotes%Seats
WonNot upTotal
Chile Podemos MásNational Renewal549,55311.805612
Evópoli368,0247.90223
Independent Democratic Union354,8127.62549
Democratic Independent Regionalist Party25,2970.54000
Total1,297,68627.86121224
Apruebo DignidadCommunist Party335,7097.21202
Social Green Regionalist Federation188,3084.04202
Comunes172,0543.69000
Democratic Revolution156,2563.35011
Social Convergence59,4891.28000
Total911,71619.57415
New Social PactSocialist Party314,1146.74437
Christian Democratic Party214,1804.60235
Party for Democracy111,9102.40246
Radical Party58,0771.25000
Liberal Party28,0820.60000
Total726,36315.5981018
Christian Social FrontRepublican Party336,3057.22101
Christian Conservative Party65,2621.40000
Total401,5678.62101
Party of the People378,3788.12000
Green Ecologist Party198,7104.27000
United IndependentsUnited Centre158,1343.39000
National Citizen Party7,1740.15000
Total165,3083.55000
Dignidad AhoraEquality Party82,7851.78000
Humanist Party15,9160.34000
Total98,7012.12000
Patriotic Union41,1550.88000
Revolutionary Workers Party4,8020.10000
Independents433,4489.31202
Total4,657,934100.00272350
Valid votes4,657,93490.99
Invalid votes227,9954.45
Blank votes233,0864.55
Total votes5,119,015100.00
Registered voters/turnout15,030,96334.06
Source: Servicio Electoral de Chile

Regional Boards

Note: Provisional results, including 99.97% of ballot boxes.
Party or allianceVotes%Seats
Chile VamosRN and independents702,60711.4553
Chile VamosUDI and independents680,28311.0943
Constituent UnityPS and independents358,2075.8423
PPD and independents234,2423.8219
Total592,4499.6642
Broad FrontCS and independents217,2593.5410
RD and independents250,3244.0812
PLC and independents9,4140.150
Comunes and independents95,1441.553
Total572,1419.3325
For a Dignified ChilePCCh and independents448,1377.3021
Equality for Chile102,2931.673
Total550,4308.9724
Citizen DemocracyPDC and independents489,8947.9936
Citizens and independents30,0770.490
Total519,9718.4836
Party of the People474,1327.7322
Republicans and independents470,5147.6715
Ecologists and independents315,6825.156
Chile VamosEvópoli and independents274,0724.4711
Progressive Radical ChangePR and independents173,8822.8311
PRO and independents80,7001.321
Total254,5824.1512
Green Regionalists and independents232,1443.787
Let's Humanize Chile106,7901.740
Chile VamosPRI and independents144,0282.353
United Independents79,2511.290
Patriotic Union41,3440.670
Working Class Unity Front36,7060.600
Christian Conservative Party and independents21,3380.350
New Time1,1600.020
Independents65,5101.073
Total6,135,134100.00302
Valid votes6,135,13486.88
Invalid votes381,7315.41
Blank votes544,8497.72
Total votes7,061,714100.00
Source: Servicio Electoral de Chile

Aftermath

Gabriel Boric's victory celebration in the Alameda.

On 19 December 2021, shortly after the preliminary results of the second round were publicized, Kast conceded defeat and congratulated Boric through a tweet saying "I have just talked to Gabriel Boric and have congratulated him for his big triumph. From now on he is the president-elect of Chile and deserves all of our respect and constructive collaboration. Chile is always first".[135] Later that day, Kast visited Boric at the latter's campaign headquarters in central Santiago.[136] Boric thanked Kast during his victory speech, saying "we must build bridges for our compatriots to live better, because that is the people of Chile's demand".[137]

Outgoing president Sebastián Piñera had a video call with president-elect Boric, which was broadcast live on TV and radio, complying with one of the country's electoral traditions since the transition to democracy.[138] During their conversation, Piñera congratulated Boric and said "when we divide [our country] in wars between ourselves, things always go wrong. We all hope you make a very good government for Chile and the Chileans and I am sure you will do your best". Boric said "I am going to be the President of all Chileans, because I believe it is important to interpret everyone and agreements should be between all of the people and not inside four walls".[139]

Boric was also congratulated by President of the Constitutional Convention, Elisa Loncón.[140][141] The leader of Coordinadora Arauco-Malleco, Héctor Llaitul [es], dismissed Boric as being together with Kast "two faces of the same coin" and warned that Boric will maintain "the colonial-format capitalist system". Llaitul pledged to continue "the path of revolutionary autonomism".[142]

International reaction

Among international leaders who congratulated Boric are President of Argentina Alberto Fernández,[143] Vice President Cristina Kirchner,[143] President of Bolivia Luis Arce,[144][145] President of the Chamber of Senators of Bolivia Andrónico Rodríguez,[146] former President of Brazil Lula da Silva,[147] President of Colombia Iván Duque,[148] President of Costa Rica Carlos Alvarado,[149] President of Ecuador Guillermo Lasso,[150] Prime Minister of Spain Pedro Sánchez,[151] US Secretary of State Antony Blinken,[152] Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs of France Jean-Yves Le Drian, Mayor of Paris Anne Hidalgo, President of Mexico Andrés Manuel López Obrador and his Foreign Secretary Marcelo Ebrard,[153] President of Peru Pedro Castillo,[154] President of Uruguay Luis Lacalle Pou,[155] President of Venezuela Nicolás Maduro,[156] and opposition leaders of Venezuela Juan Guaidó and Henrique Capriles.[157] The European Union, via its High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell, also congratulated Boric on his victory in the second round and pointed to "strengthening" relations with the Chilean government.[158]

President of Brazil Jair Bolsonaro had a late and cold reaction to Boric's election. He pointed out that "half of the population abstained" in the election, and referred to Boric as "that Boric".[159][c] Boric responded to Bolsonaro's comments by stating that "clearly we are very different".[160] Bolsonaro's son Eduardo, who had supported Kast, had a harsher reaction, stating that Chile was set on a path similar to Maduro's Venezuela with Boric. He mentioned the –8% drop that occurred in the Santiago Stock Exchange following the election and linked Boric to the violence that erupted in Chile in 2019.[159]

President of the United States Joe Biden had a phone conversation with president-elect Boric on 30 December,[161] on which Biden congratulated Boric for his victory. In a press statement published by the White House,[162] Biden "applauded Chile's free and fair elections as a powerful example to the region and the world", and also underscored the cooperation between Chile and the U.S. to "promote a green and equitable recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic and to address the existential threat posed by climate change". Biden also sent through the president-elect his condolences for the death of 14-year old Valentina Orellana-Peralta, who was killed in a police shootout at Los Angeles, California on 23 December. Boric later posted on his Twitter account about the conversation he had with President Biden, stating that "In addition to the shared joy for our respective electoral victories, we talked about common challenges such as fair trade, climate crisis and strengthening democracy. We will continue to talk."[163]

Parliamentary results

Due to the low results in the parliamentary election, 12 political parties were dissolved by the Electoral Service: Christian Conservative Party (1 deputy), Citizens (1), Democratic Independent Regionalist Party (1), Equality Party, Green Ecological Party (2), Humanist Party (3), Progressive Party, National Citizen Party, New Time, Patriotic Union, Revolutionary Workers Party and United Centre (1).[164] 9 deputies became independent politicians before joining the new Congress.

See also

Notes

References

External links