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Following a conclusive runoff election, hardline figure José Antonio Kast has won the top job in Chile.

A Resounding Win

With over 99% of votes tallied, Kast secured 58.17% of the vote, defeating leftist candidate Jeannette Jara, who received 41.83%.

This signifies Kast's third attempt at the presidency, having earlier been beaten by the current president, Gabriel Boric, in the 2021 runoff.

Platform Centered On Law and Order and Migration

Known for his strong Catholic views and praise for the rule of former leader Augusto Pinochet, Kast's platform was largely built on promises to tackle rising violence and radically restrict immigration.

He frequently cited migrants, notably the around 330,000 illegal individuals in Chile, for security issues. During the race, he gave an stern warning for them to depart before the March 11 handover or face removal.

His policy ideas featured Trump-inspired measures such as building holding facilities, high walls, electric fences, and bolstering the armed forces presence on the northernmost border.

Within a Continental Shift

Many observers interpret Kast's victory as part of a wider rightward shift in the region, coming after this year's electoral results in countries like Ecuador, Bolivia, and Argentina.

Nevertheless, other pundits further view it as a continuation of the established rotation of power between left and right leadership since Chile's transition to democracy in 1990.

Leading Without a Clear Mandate

In spite of his clear electoral victory, Kast is not expected to have an overall majority in the legislature, not in the Chamber of Deputies or the Senate, even if all rightwing parties are combined together.

This legislative landscape might hinder his plans, including a promise to reduce public spending by $6 billion within a year and a half—a plan for which he has not offered a clear explanation.

"We have numerous aspects about what a Kast administration will operate that we don't know because he has not explained the way he will do them," said a political expert.

The expert stated, "On the economy, it is almost certain we will see austerity policies typical of the right. However the area with far less ambiguity is on public safety, because that has been his central theme throughout the race."