Chile on course for a presidential run-off
In Chile, leftist ex-Labour Minister Jeannette Jara and far-right leader Jose Antonio Kast will go head-to-head in the run-off next month.
Buenos Aires (dpa) - Communist Jeannette Jara and right-wing politician José Antonio Kast will face off in a run-off election as the top vote-getters in Sunday's presidential election, outgoing President Gabriel Boric said.
"Congratulations to Jeannette Jara and José Antonio Kast for making it to the second round, next Sunday, December 14, Chile will once more elect its next president," Boric said in an address from the La Moneda Palace.
Neither former labour minister Jara, who had 26.8% with 97.2% of votes counted, nor Kast (24%), who lost to Boric in the 2021 run-off, got close to the 50% of votes required for an outright win, according to the electoral authority.
Economist Franco Parisi (19.6%) was a surprise third, followed by far-right Johannes Kaiser (13.9%) and conservative Evelyn Matthei (12.5%).
The election campaign in the South American country has focused on economic issues, crime and migration. Although Chile is still one of the safest countries in the region, crime has recently increased in some areas.
Incumbent left-wing President Boric was not allowed to run again after his four-year term for constitutional reasons.
Despite being the top vote-getter on Sunday, Jara was seen as the underdog in the second round.
The ultra-conservative Kast from the Republican Party, unlike his rival, has a real chance of mobilizing the votes of his defeated opponents from the right-wing camp.
In an address to supporters, Kast thanked Kaiser and Matthei: "While we had our differences that are legitimate in an electoral campaign, there is much more that unites us."
"Our only adversary is continuity, and we will defeat the continuation of the status quo on December 14," said the father of nine and devout Catholic, after claiming that "if Jara wins, Boric will continue to govern."
Jara also shouted "the surprise of the night, Franco Parisi... I want to congratulate him because he was able to interpret with radical and innovative means the feelings of the citizens."
A victory for a right-wing candidate in the run-off is seen as probable if defeated rivals can unite.
In addition to the new president, almost half of the senators and all 155 members of the Chamber of Deputies were up for election on Sunday.
Around 15.8 million people were eligible to vote on Sunday. Voting is compulsory in Chile.
The future head of state is to take office on March 11, 2026.