Election in Chile: right-wing politician Kast becomes next president
José Antonio Kast has won the presidential election in Chile, continuing the political shift to the right in Latin America.
15.12.2025, 16:58
SDA
At his victory celebration in front of thousands of supporters, Kast promised to crack down on crime and illegal migration from day one and to ensure order and justice in the South American country.
The 59-year-old father of nine and son of a former military officer from Bavaria will take over from left-wing head of state Gabriel Boric on March 11. In countries such as Argentina, Bolivia, El Salvador and Ecuador, citizens have also opted for right-wing presidents in recent years. In Chile, left-wing and right-wing governments have alternated in power every four years since 2010.
Kast won the run-off election on his third attempt on Sunday. According to the electoral office, the German-born right-wing politician received 58 percent of the vote. The government candidate Jeannette Jara from the Communist Party received almost 42 percent of the vote.
Kast: God, security and order
"Chile wants change," said Kast in his victory speech to his supporters late on Sunday (local time) in the capital Santiago de Chile. "And I tell you, yes, Chile will experience real change". Allusions to God, order, security and justice dominated his speech. "Without security there is no peace, without peace there is no democracy, without democracy there is no freedom," he said.
The election campaign focused on the issues of security and irregular migration. Although Chile is still one of the safest countries in the region, crime has increased in some areas. According to a survey, 63 percent of Chilean adults are concerned about the security situation. In addition, the proportion of migrants in Chile has recently risen to around ten percent of the population - the majority of whom come from the crisis-hit country of Venezuela. Violent crimes committed by Venezuelans and the presence of Venezuelan gangs are stirring up fear among many Chileans.
US government looks forward to cooperation
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio expressed his congratulations for the future president. "The United States looks forward to working with his administration to strengthen regional security and revitalize our trade relationship," Rubio wrote on the X platform.
The ultra-liberal president of neighboring Argentina, Javier Milei, congratulated Kast on his victory. He spoke of a further step in favor of freedom and private property in Latin America. "I am very happy about the overwhelming victory of my friend," wrote Milei on X.
Kast is the son of an NSDAP member from Bavaria
Kast comes from an influential family. Several of his siblings were members of parliament or senators like him, and one brother served as president of the central bank during the military dictatorship of Augusto Pinochet. His father - a former Wehrmacht officer and NSDAP member - had emigrated to Chile after the Second World War and founded a factory for meat and sausage products.
Kast also stands for conservative social policy. For example, he opposes marriage for same-sex couples and more rights for members of indigenous peoples. The conservative politician also relativized the crimes of the military dictatorship and said during the 2021 election campaign: "If Pinochet were still alive, he would vote for me." Recently, however, he has softened his tone, making him more electable for broader sections of the population.
