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After a definitive runoff election, hardline politician José Antonio Kast has secured the presidency in Chile.

A Resounding Victory

After more than 99% of ballots counted, Kast secured 58.17% of the vote, defeating leftist candidate Jeannette Jara, who earned 41.83%.

This represents Kast's third attempt at the presidency, having in the past been lost by the incumbent president, Gabriel Boric, in the 2021 final vote.

Campaign Focused On Security and Migration

Recognized for his strong socially conservative views and admiration for the rule of dictator Augusto Pinochet, Kast's platform was largely centered on promises to tackle rising crime and significantly reduce immigration.

He frequently cited migrants, particularly the approximately 330,000 unauthorized individuals in Chile, for public safety problems. During the race, he gave an final demand for them to exit before the March 11 handover or face deportation.

His policy ideas envisioned controversial measures such as erecting detention centers, high walls, electric fences, and bolstering the military presence on the northernmost frontier.

Part of a Regional Shift

Numerous observers interpret Kast's victory as fitting into a wider conservative wave in the region, coming after this year's electoral results in countries like Ecuador, Bolivia, and Argentina.

Yet, other pundits also describe it as a part of the regular rotation of power between left-wing and right-wing leadership since Chile's establishment of democracy in 1990.

Leading Without a Strong Majority

In spite of his decisive popular vote triumph, Kast will not command an clear majority in parliament, neither in the Chamber of Deputies nor the Senate, even if various right-leaning parties are grouped together.

This political landscape might complicate his policy goals, including a vow to cut public spending by $6 billion within a year and a half—a measure for which he has yet to detailed a clear explanation.

"There are numerous things about what a Kast administration will be that remain unclear because he has not said the way he will implement them," said a political science professor.

The professor added, "In terms of fiscal matters, it is very likely we will see adjustment measures associated with the right. However where there is considerably less doubt is on public safety, because that has been his central theme throughout the race."