Leftist to become Chile’s ever youngest president

Leftist candidate Gabriel Boric has won Chile’s presidential election to become the country’s youngest ever leader.

In what was expected to be a tight race, the 35-year-old former student protest leader defeated his far-right rival, José Antonio Kast, by 10 points.

Mr Boric told supporters he would look after democracy, promising curbs on Chile’s neoliberal economic model.

He will lead a country that has been rocked in recent years by mass protests against inequality and corruption.

Mr Boric’s victory prompted celebrations on the streets of the capital, Santiago, with his supporters waving flags and honking car horns.

In his speech, Mr Boric said he was taking on the job with humility and a “tremendous sense of responsibility,”vowing to “firmly fight against the privileges of a few”.

“We have an enormous challenge. I know that in the coming years, the future of our country is at stake, so I guarantee that I will be a president who cares for democracy and does not risk it, listens more than speaks, seeks unity, and attends to the needs of the people daily,” he told supporters.

Official results gave Mr Boric 56 per cent of the votes against Mr Kast’s 44 per cent. Mr Kast conceded defeat barely an hour-and-a-half after polls closed, and with around half of ballots counted.

Both candidates offered starkly different visions for the country, and both are outsiders representing political parties that have never been in government.

Once the most stable economy in Latin America, Chile has one of the world’s largest income gaps, with 1% of the population owning 25 per cent of the country’s wealth, according to the United Nations.

Mr Boric has promised to address this inequality by expanding social rights and reforming Chile’s pension and healthcare systems, as well as reducing the work week from 45 to 40 hours, and boosting green investment.

“We know there continues to be justice for the rich, and justice for the poor, and we no longer will permit that the poor keep paying the price of Chile’s inequality,” he said.

The president-elect also promised to block a controversial proposed mining project which he said would destroy communities and the national environment.

Supporters responded to the victory with uncontained joy.

“I’m very excited because this is an achievement of the people,” Andres Rodriques told Reuters news agency.  -Reuters