Democrats Align with Kast for Second Round Amid Party Dissolution

Original article: Demócratas se alinea con Kast para la segunda vuelta en medio de su disolución

They formalized their support for the Republican candidate, arguing that the primary goal is to «recover the country».

On Monday, December 1, the Democrats and Yellow parties officially declared their support for José Kast’s candidacy in the second round. This announcement comes after failing to meet the legal minimums necessary to ensure their survival in the November 16 elections. Led by Senator Ximena Rincón, the party leadership met with the Republican, stating that the decision prioritizes the urgent need to advance the country above ideological differences, according to their perspective.

The decision to support Kast occurs in a critical context, as Democrats was one of the 13 political parties that did not reach the 5% threshold of votes in the deputy elections nor secure the four parliamentarians in two regions. These results obligate the forced dissolution of the party, leaving its members to decide whether to join another political party or disappear from the political landscape altogether.

Senator Ximena Rincón defended their support, arguing that in the current scenario: «It’s not about left or right; it’s about Chile,» adding that the public chose a path that rejects the continuation of the current government. She emphasized that during the meeting with Kast, there were significant «programmatic coincidences» on issues such as security, health, and the prison system.

It’s worth noting that in 2022, Senator Rincón —who was then a member of the DC party— was confronted by Paulina Vodanovic —from the PS party— during a constitutional debate. Vodanovic challenged her, saying: «Let’s do it well until the right likes it,» to which Rincón emphatically responded: «I am not from the right, Paulina! You insist on putting me in that group.» However, her formal endorsement of the Republican candidate, regarded as far-right, intensifies the debate over the true political positioning of the party.

After receiving the support, José Kast expressed his gratitude for the endorsement and explicitly welcomed the inclusion of Democrats, Yellow supporters, and other sectors into his potential government. The candidate stated: “This will be a government not of the Republicans, but by the Republicans and for the Republicans,” he asserted.

For the Democrats, having failed to secure independence, the party’s future is now tied to the success of the Republican Party.