Republican Party of Chile
The Republican Party of Chile is a far-right, right-wing populist, and conservative political party founded in Chile in 2019 by José Antonio Kast, who remains its leader and president-elect.
The party is socially conservative and in favour of a liberal social market economy. The party opposes abortion, euthanasia, same-sex marriage, proposals for a new Chilean constitution, and advocates a tough approach to law and order, gang violence, political corruption and illegal immigration into Chile. Economically, it advocates a largely free-market economy with strong protections for private property, low taxes, lower government spending, and incentives for entrepreneurship.
The party rose to prominence during the political upheavals that followed the 2019 social protests and the subsequent constitutional reform process. Kast placed first in the initial round of the 2021 general election, demonstrating unexpectedly broad support for a more assertive conservative programme. In the 2023 Constitutional Council elections, the Republicans won the largest share of seats of any political group and played a leading role in drafting a proposed new constitution of Chile which was rejected in a referendum in December 2023. Kast led polls for the presidential run-off in the 2025 Chilean general election, and won the presidency on 14 December 2025.
History
Background
, the founder of the party, was a deputy for 16 years, and a member of the Independent Democratic Union for 20 years. In 2017 he ran for president, finishing in fourth place with nearly 8% of the vote.Kast became disillusioned with UDI and resigned in protest, believing that the party criticized former Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet too often.
With the base of support he obtained with the election, he decided to found a political movement.
Foundation
The Republican Party began as the Chilean manifestation of the conservative wave in Latin America. On 3 March 2018, Kast held the first meeting of the new movement. Some time after, on 9 April, the movement was presented at the Omnium Hall in Las Condes, and it was named "Acción Republicana".On 10 June 2019, Kast presented the party to the Servel, the party formation is still ongoing. More than half of the directive is composed of ex members of the UDI. One of them is the only deputy the party has in the Chamber of Deputies, Ignacio Urrutia.
On 21 January 2020, the Servel legally constituted the party in the regions of O'Higgins, Maule and Ñuble, after the necessary number of signatures was presented.
On 14 August 2020, the party was officially constituted in the regions of Biobío and Araucanía, at the same time violent incidents related with the Mapuche conflict were taking place in the zone.
On 9 September, the party was constituted in Santiago Metropolitan Region, and it was announced that it would present candidates to the municipal elections. On 19 July 2021, the party was constituted in the regions of Arica and Parinacota, Atacama, Aysén and Magallanes, making it a national-level party, constituted in all Chilean regions.
2023 events
2023 saw the party win a landslide victory in the Constitutional Council election of May. In early December 26 members including senator Rojo Edwards renounced the party.2024 events
In January 2024 Deputy Johannes Kaiser renounced after being sanctioned being removed from legislative committees for making explicit that he voted "Against" the Constitutional Proposal of 2023, supported by the party directive. He emphasizes that he wasn't going to participate in any campaign for his option for respect for the party, something which he accomplished. He founded the National Libertarian Party in July of the same year, having the signatures required in 2025 to officially create the new political party.Ideology
The Republican Party has been described as being far-right, authoritarian, conservative, nativist, nationalist, right-wing populist, right-wing antiglobalist and Pinochetist. Political scientist Cristóbal Rovira categorizes the party as belonging to a populist radical right, rather than extreme right which is, in their view, academically an incorrect label for the party, because it is not opposed to the democratic system per se, but rather seeks "illiberal democracy." According to Political scientist Mireya Dávila the party contain some positions typical of the far-right, but notes also that far-right groups have also found expression in the older right-wing parties National Renewal and Independent Democratic Union.The party's ideological doctrine is similar to the previously existing Gremialismo and is the main group of "organic Pinochetism", the new far-right in Chile, with the party receiving more support as centre-left and centre-right parties began to reach a point of political convergence in the area policies and a perceived collusion in corruption as scandals arose. According to Cox and Blanco, the Republican Party appeared in Chilean politics in a similar manner to Spain's Vox party, with both parties splitting off from an existing right-wing party to collect disillusioned voters. The Republican Party calls for measures to reduce illegal immigration, including building a ditch along the border with Bolivia.
The party describes recent popular protests in Chile as ideological terrorism and frames indigenous movements as narcoterrorism. Regarding economic policy, the Republican Party supports neoliberalism and a market economy, including cutting taxes.
The Republican Party holds socially conservative views of a heteropatriarchal society and attaches itself to a traditional Western Christian point of view, supporting a heterosexual nuclear family while opposing abortion and assisted suicide. Members of the party have also expressed anti-feminist attitudes.
Presidential candidates
The following is a list of the presidential candidates supported by the Republican Party :- 2021 – José Antonio Kast
- 2025 – José Antonio Kast
Electoral history