Republican Party of Chile

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For 1982–1987 political party, see Republican Party (Chile, 1982).

Republican Party of Chile
Partido Republicano de Chile
AbbreviationPRCh
LeaderJosé Antonio Kast
PresidentArturo Squella
General SecretaryRuth Hurtado
Vice Presidents1st Tomás Bengolea López
2nd María Gatica Gajardo
3rd José Carlos Meza
4th Romina Cifuentes González
5th Luis Silva Irarrázaval
6th Catalina Ugarte Millán
FounderJosé Antonio Kast
Founded10 June 2019 (2019-06-10)
Legalised21 January 2020
Split fromIndependent Democratic Union
Preceded byRepublican Action
HeadquartersPresidente Errázuriz 4305, Las Condes
Think tankRepublican Ideas[1]
Student wingStudent Action
Youth wingRepublican Party Youth[2]
Membership (June 2025)18,820[3]
Ideology
Political positionFar-right[9]
National affiliationChristian Social Front
(2021–22)
Change for Chile (2025–)[10]
ColoursChilean national colours:
  Blue
  White
  Red
Chamber of Deputies
31 / 155
Senate
5 / 50
Communal Councils
234 / 2,252
Regional Councils
60 / 302
Mayors
8 / 345
Regional Governors
0 / 16
Website
partidorepublicanodechile.cl

The Republican Party of Chile (Spanish: Partido Republicano de Chile, PRCh)[a][12] is a far-right,[16] right-wing populist,[4] and conservative political party founded in Chile in 2019 by José Antonio Kast, who remains its leader and president-elect.[17][18][19]

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.[20] Economically, it advocates a largely free-market economy with strong protections for private property, low taxes, lower government spending, and incentives for entrepreneurship.[20][21]

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

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Background

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José Antonio Kast, the founder of the party, was a deputy for 16 years, and a member of the Independent Democratic Union (UDI) 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.[22][23]

With the base of support he obtained with the election, he decided to found a political movement.

Foundation

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The Republican Party began as the Chilean manifestation of the conservative wave in Latin America.[24] On 3 March 2018, Kast held the first meeting of (what at that time was) 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" (Republican Action).[25]

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.[26]

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.[27]

On 9 September, the party was constituted in Santiago Metropolitan Region, and it was announced that it would present candidates to the municipal elections.[28] 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.[29][30]

2023 events

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2023 saw the party win a landslide victory in the Constitutional Council election of May.[31] In early December 26 members including senator Rojo Edwards renounced the party.[32]

2024 events

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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.[33]

Ideology

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The Republican Party has been described as being far-right,[34][35] authoritarian,[22] conservative,[36][37] nativist,[22] nationalist,[38][39] right-wing populist[22], right-wing antiglobalist[22] and Pinochetist.[40][41] 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."[42] 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 (RN) and Independent Democratic Union (UDI).[24]

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.[22][24] 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.[24] The Republican Party calls for measures to reduce illegal immigration, including building a ditch along the border with Bolivia.[43]

The party describes recent popular protests in Chile as ideological terrorism and frames indigenous movements as narcoterrorism.[22] Regarding economic policy, the Republican Party supports neoliberalism and a market economy, including cutting taxes.[44]

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.[22][24][45] Members of the party have also expressed anti-feminist attitudes.

Presidential candidates

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The following is a list of the presidential candidates supported by the Republican Party (information gathered from the Archive of Chilean Elections):

Electoral history

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Presidential elections

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Election year Candidate 1st Round 2nd Round Results
# Votes % Votes # Votes % Votes
2021 José Antonio Kast 1,961,779 27.9% 3,650,088 44.1% Lost
2025 José Antonio Kast 3,092,946 23.93% 7,243,612 58.17% Won

Congress elections

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Election year Chamber of Deputies Senate Status
# Votes % Votes Seats # Votes % Votes Seats
2021 666,726 10.54%
14 / 155
 336,305 7.22%
1 / 50
 Opposition
2025 1,407,614 13.28%
31 / 155
 531,834 17.23%
5 / 50
 Government

Municipal elections

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Election year Councillors Mayors
# Votes % Votes Seats # Votes % Votes Seats
2021 188,542 3.09%
12 / 2,252
 83 237 1.31%
0 / 345
2024 1.422.032 13.81%
233 / 2,256
 489.416 4.18%
8 / 345

Regional elections

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Election year Regional Councillors Governors
# Votes % Votes Seats # Votes % Votes Seats
2024 1.528.563 15.70%
60 / 302
 1.493.090 13.84%
0 / 16

Notes

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  1. ^ Formerly PLR, until circa 2024.[11]

References

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  42. ^ Cristóbal Rovira: "El Partido Republicano no es de extrema derecha; es derecha populista radical" Revista Pauta. October 31, 2021. Retrieved November 25, 2021.
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