Chile: Close To Electing Its Next New President

The second round of the elections between the presidential candidates  Jose Antonio Kast and Gabriel Boric will be held on December 19.

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"I think a lot of people understand the importance of this election," declared a member of the Red de Politologas, a network of female political scientists, Daniela Campos Letelier. For the second round campaigns, presidential candidates have centered their attention more in the center of the country in order to win voters in that region.  However, only one of the candidates had to repurpose their platform.  

"The core of Boric's program remains the same... Kast has had to move the compass needle a lot more," Campos declared to Al Jazeera.

Boric has focused his program on social change, promising to overhaul the pension system, advance LGBTQ and women's rights, tackle climate change, and increase mining royalties and corporate taxes. "Stability is achieved with social justice, a profound transformation so that we may have more justice and dignity," Boric stated in his final message during the candidates' last debate.

The workers of culture, enterprises and corporations dedicated to promoting creation, the arts and heritage throughout Chile will need a lot of support from the next government to recover. I am confident that Gabriel will lead that momentum.

Kast removed some unpopular portions of his program, such as the privatization of the Codelco state copper company and the elimination of the Ministry of Women. As part of his program, he remains focused on defending a law and order approach, government downsizing, and tax breaks for corporations to encourage investment.

"Hard times are coming, and a government that provides stability is required … a government that exercises prudence and authority," Kast declared on Monday in the final presidential debate.

"I tend to think participation will be higher [than the first round]... I think it will be a very close race," Campos said.