With less than two weeks to go before the 19 December run-off vote that will determine Chile’s next president, the two candidates – José Antonio Kast from the far-right Partido Republicano (PLR) and Gabriel Boric from the left-wing Apruebo Dignidad coalition – are both attempting a balancing act: trying to attract more moderate voters, without losing their original supporters.
Chile’s rule banning the publication of opinion polls two weeks ahead of a vote means that the last surveys date from the first days of December. At the time, Boric had a relatively solid lead over Kast [WR-21-48], despite finishing second to him in the first round of the elections on 21 November. The last Cadem poll, released on 3 December, projects a 53%-47% result in favour of Boric; the poll gives Boric 40% of voting intentions to 35% for Kast, while 25% say they don’t know or won’t vote.
In a bid to attract some of these undecided voters, Kast unveiled an updated, and pared down, government programme on 7 December, which incorporates proposals from members of the more moderate right, such as the defeated candidate for the ruling Chile Podemos Más coalition, Sebastián Sichel. Kast’s ‘2.0 government programme’ lists as its five main elements: “Recover peace, order, and the law; recover the economy; guarantee a dignified life; tackle climate change and drought; and [give] priority to Chilean women.”
The last point, in particular, marks a departure from Kast’s earlier plan. His ultra-conservative views on social issues had earned him criticism; some of his more controversial proposals, included getting rid of the ministry for women and overturning the law on abortion (which is in any case only authorised in specific cases, such as rape, danger to the mother’s life, and foetal malformation). These have been dropped from the new programme. The emphasis on tackling climate change also marks a shift.
Boric, meanwhile, has also been reworking some of his proposals, specifically on the economy. As part of an attempt to reach a broad consensus, his campaign has worked with economic advisers of the defeated moderate left-wing candidates, Yasna Provoste and Marco Enríquez-Ominami.
After meeting representatives from the business lobby as well as micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs), Boric presented his revised economic plan on 8 December and promised a more gradual approach to two of his key proposals, notably raising the minimum wage and reducing the length of the working day. His revised plan centres around three points: fiscal consolidation by stabilising public debt; reincorporating groups which have fallen behind in the labour market, such as young people and women; and economic recovery. He also promises to focus on green investments and prioritising support for MSMEs.
Tax proposals
Ahead of Chile’s first presidential round, both Gabriel Boric and José Antonio Kast were criticised for presenting unrealistic economic plans. They have both adopted a more moderate position now, including in their opposing proposals on taxes. Kast, who promised to cut taxes, has now said that tax reductions will be gradual and depend on fiscal sustainability and economic growth. Boric, meanwhile, wants to increase the government’s tax revenue through a variety of levies, including mining royalties, a green tax, and through cracking down on tax evasion; but he has also pledged to make any of these changes gradual, as well as promising that he will not raise taxes on MSMEs.
A victory for equality
On 7 December, Chile’s congress passed a marriage equality law, giving same-sex couples the same right to marriage as heterosexual couples. The bill, dating from 2017, was dusted off for consideration after President Sebastián Piñera unexpectedly announced his support for the legalisation of same-sex marriage in July. It was passed with 82 to 20 votes in the lower chamber and 21-8 in the senate and is expected to be promulgated imminently.
The law has been hailed as an important step on the path to equality and to recognising sexual and gender diversity. It also reflects a shift in the traditionally Catholic and socially conservative Chilean society.