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Following a conclusive runoff election, far-right politician José Antonio Kast has clinched the presidency in Chile.

A Clear-Cut Triumph

After over 99% of ballots counted, Kast garnered 58.17% of the vote, defeating leftist candidate Jeannette Jara, who obtained 41.83%.

This represents Kast's third bid for the presidency, having in the past been lost by the sitting president, Gabriel Boric, in the 2021 second round.

Agenda Built On Law and Order and Migration

Noted for his staunch socially conservative views and praise for the period of dictator Augusto Pinochet, Kast's campaign was mostly built on promises to tackle growing insecurity and significantly restrict immigration.

He frequently pointed to foreigners, especially the roughly 330,000 illegal individuals in Chile, for security issues. Throughout the campaign, he delivered an ultimatum for them to depart before the inauguration or face removal.

His proposals included Trump-inspired measures such as building detention centers, border walls, perimeter fencing, and increasing the armed forces presence on the northernmost border.

Within a Broader Wave

Numerous commentators see Kast's victory as aligning with a wider right-wing wave in the region, similar to this year's electoral wins in countries like Ecuador, Bolivia, and Argentina.

Nevertheless, other experts also frame it as a part of the regular swing of power between left-wing and right-wing governments since Chile's establishment of democracy in 1990.

Governing Lacking a Solid Majority

Despite his decisive electoral win, Kast is not expected to hold an absolute majority in the legislature, neither in the Chamber of Deputies nor the Senate, even when various conservative parties are combined together.

This political landscape could challenge his plans, including a vow to slash public spending by billions within a year and a half—a proposal for which he has yet to provided concrete steps.

"We have several aspects about what a Kast presidency will look like that remain unclear because he has not said the way he will achieve them," said a political professor.

The analyst added, "On the economy, it is highly probable we will see austerity policies typical of the right-wing. However the area with considerably less doubt is on public safety, because that has been his workhorse throughout the race."