Chilean Communist Party Member, Jeannette Jara, Wins Primary Election Surprise
Jeannette Jara, a former labor minister from Chile, triumphed in the primary election for leftwing parties with an unexpected margin, securing over 60% of the votes against her more moderate contender. This decisive victory makes Jara, 51, the representative of Chile’s struggling incumbent government in the upcoming November elections. She will be facing off against center-right and far-right candidates who have seen a rise in popularity through opinion polls.
Chile’s current leftist president, Gabriel Boric, who is 39 years old, cannot run for a consecutive term due to term limits.
Jara, a lawyer and part of Chile’s Communist Party, who served as Boric’s labor minister prior to resigning to run for president, garnered 60.5% of the votes. Carolina Toha, the former interior minister from the Democratic Socialist Party who was considered a favorite, received only 27.7% of the votes.
Jara stated on social media that this victory marks the beginning of a journey towards a fairer and more democratic Chile. In response to the threats posed by the far right, she advocates for unity, dialogue, and hope.
Voting was made compulsory after Boric’s 2022 election, introducing an element of unpredictability to this year’s race. However, preliminary turnout figures indicated a much lower voter turnout, with only 1.4 million out of Chile’s 15.4 million eligible voters casting ballots.
Analysts describe Jara as less dogmatic and more diplomatic than some of her communist counterparts. During her tenure as labor minister, she received praise for implementing measures such as increasing the minimum wage and reducing the working week to 40 hours. Jara has also been compared to Michelle Bachelet, Chile’s former center-left president and an advocate for female empowerment.
In her victory speech, Jara paid tribute to Bachelet, stating that she paved the way for achieving what may seem impossible.
Jara faces an uphill battle to secure the top job, as the leftwing government’s popularity has declined amidst sluggish economic growth and increasing concerns over organized crime and migration. These issues have contributed to the growing support for rightwing candidates, including the ultraconservative lawyer, José Antonio Kast, and Evelyn Matthei, a former labor minister known for her business-friendly proposals.
Chileans will head to the polls on November 16th to elect a president for the 2026-2030 term.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/jun/30/chile-jeannette-jara-communist-candidate