The former 35-year-old former student leader, promises to establish a welfare state, while remaining “fiscally responsible”. He will take office on March 11, 2022.
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Champagne bubbles fuse to the many brackets “Boric President”, the Chilean, native flags, and the Rainbow banners of the LGBT + community. The crowd gathered in Santiago, Sunday, December 19, near the headquarters of Gabriel Boric, 35, celebrates the crushing victory of his candidate (nearly 56% of the vote), at the head of a vast alliance, bringing together from the party Communist up to the center-left figures.
At the rhythm of horn, tens of thousands of people flock in joy to celebrate this result, historical in many ways. The 15 million voters called to the polls – for a population of 19 million – were led to choose between two radically opposed models, for this first presidential election since the new social movement against the inequalities of 2019. The ballot. Place at the Palais de la Moneda An elected representative presenting the minimum age required to occupy the position of Head of State. For the first time since the return to democracy in 1990, the traditional parties of the left and right center were excluded from the final race to the supreme function.
“New path”
“Olé, Olé, the one who does not jump voted for Kast”, sinking the supports of Gabriel Boric of a single bond, with reference to the fallen candidate of far right José Antonio Kast, an former member and lawyer 55 years old. He quickly recognized his defeat. “The united people will never be defeated” (“El Pueblo Unido, Jamás Será Vencido”) exults the crowd, taking this song from social struggles, Chile and elsewhere. “I’m so happy and so relieved,” Jubile Barbara Araya, 30 years old. “Boric was the candidate for the defense of the environment, the rights of women and sexual diversity,” continues this young entrepreneur.
“What joy, what hope! We take a new path, which is more of social justice, more equality,” says Catalina Figueroa, 32, sociologist, activist in “Revolucion Democratica”, Left Party Incorporating the Alliance of Gabriel Boric. The latter promised to establish a welfare state and to make Chile “the tomb” of neoliberalism. If this model, set up under the dictatorship (1973-1990) has been amended over the last thirty years it has never been deeply questioned.
“This very wide victory is a surprise, some polls gave the two candidates for the elbow-to-elbow and for the first time [since 1990], the one who came to the top of the first round [José Antonio Kast with two points In advance], is not elected president, “says Marcela Rios, Politist in the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) in Chile. After a first round marked by low participation (47%), this second election is characterized by a voter affluence at the highest (more than 55%), since the end of the mandatory vote in 2012. “Judging by the Participation in the Santiago region, it can be assumed that the youngest and popular classes have been more mobilized, “continues the Politist.
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