Chile election poll shows leftist Jara losing to right-wing rivals in runoff

Chile leftwing coalition presidential candidate Jeannette Jara speaks with Reuters

Chile presidential candidate Jeannette Jara, a former labor minister and member of the Communist Party, poses for a picture as she speaks to Reuters after winning the June primaries to become the country's left wing coalition candidate, in Santiago, Chile July 18, 2025. REUTERS/Pablo Sanhueza

Source: REUTERS

The candidate for Chile's ruling leftist coalition, communist Jeannette Jara, leads voters' preferences ahead of the first round of the presidential election, but could lose in a runoff against either of two right-wing opposition candidates, a poll showed on Monday.

The National Public Opinion (CEP) poll showed Jara leading the first-round vote with the preference of 25% of voters, trailed by hard-right firebrand Jose Antonio Kast with 23% and Evelyn Matthei with 12%.

In a runoff election, Jara would lose to both Kast and Matthei, according to the poll.

Matthei, an experienced right-wing candidate, has centered her campaign around "order, progress and hope," while Kast, who finished second to President Gabriel Boric in 2021, has resurged with a tough-on-crime platform.

RECOMMENDED FOR YOU

Gustavo Petro leaves the Casa de Nariño

Petro leaves presidential palace as De la Espriella takes office

Chile will hold the first round of its presidential election on Nov. 16. If no candidate wins a majority, a runoff is scheduled for Dec. 14.

This article was produced by Reuters news agency. It has not been edited by Global South World.

By Reuters