Chile approaches 2025 presidential vote with eight contenders
Chile’s presidential election on 16 November 2025 will see eight candidates vying for the presidency, representing a wide ideological spectrum—from the left to the far right and from established parties to independent outsiders.
Jeannette Jara – The candidate for the left-centre coalition, Jara is a lawyer and former Labour Minister under President Gabriel Boric. She emerged as the sole candidate of the governing pact after winning a unified primary and is backed by the Communist Party and several smaller leftist groups.
Evelyn Matthei – Representing the traditional right, Matthei enters the race with support from RN, UDI and Evópoli. Having served as senator and minister, she runs on experience and seeks to consolidate the centre-right vote.
José Antonio Kast – Leader of the Republican Party and prominent figure of Chile’s far right, Kast is standing again to reclaim dominance for his faction. He has added the support of the Social Christian Party, which aligns with evangelical interests.
Johannes Kaiser – A former Republican MP turned founder of the National Libertarian Party, Kaiser offers an even more radical right-wing platform than Kast, emphasising migration control, economic liberalism and a minimal state.
Franco Parisi – A returning presidential hopeful, the economist and academic will run under the “Partido de la Gente”. Known for his anti-establishment message, Parisi seeks to appeal to voters disillusioned with traditional politics.
Marco Enríquez-Ominami – Known as ME-O, the former socialist MP has entered his fifth presidential race—the most by any candidate in Chile’s modern democracy. Running as an independent, he continues to pursue the presidency with personal branding and past name recognition.
Harold Mayne-Nicollls – A sports administrator and former ANFP president, Mayne-Nicholls is also running as an independent. He draws on his leadership in the Pan American Games and appeals to voters seeking a fresh face beyond traditional political parties.
Eduardo Artés – Representing the radical left, Artés is a teacher and seasoned political activist who backs regimes such as Venezuela and North Korea. For his third consecutive presidential bid, he runs without a major party, gathering the required signatures independently.
As Chile prepares for this decisive vote, analysts say the crowded field underscores the volatility of the nation’s political landscape and mirrors broader Latin American trends of fragmentation and challenge to mainstream parties.
This story is written and edited by the Global South World team, you can contact us here.
