Chile’s most consequential presidential election in decades confirmed that the country is undergoing a profound process of political renovation, with two candidates relatively unknown to mainstream politics until recently qualifying for the December 19 runoff.
Often compared to Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, far-right figure José Antonio Kast confirmed his recent surge in the polls by taking 27.9 percent of the first-round vote on Sunday. He was followed by left-winger and former student activist Gabriel Boric, only two points behind with 25.8 percent, with 99 percent of the ballots already counted.
Another anti-establishment outsider came in third, with People’s Party economist Franco Parisi scoring a surprising 12.8 percent of the vote, relegating the parties that have ruled Chile since its return of democracy to fourth position and below — albeit by a very fine margin. Center-right Sebastián Sichel — backed by the outgoing and largely unpopular President Sebastián Piñera — and Yasna Provoste from the center-left Christian Democrat-Socialist Party coalition barely made it into double digits.
Once the results were confirmed, the night’s two winners made clear attempts to court new voters, while also drilling home messages to their respective support bases, underlining the importance of listening to the concerns of those who opted for different candidates.
“We need to show all of those who didn’t feel represented by this project that we want to embrace them, that we want them to join us in our quest for freedom, order, and peace in Chile,” Mr. Kast told his supporters on Sunday night. “We need to be generous to those who look at...
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