Fear of extremes driving voters in Chile presidential runoff

Chileans are electing their next president following a polarizing campaign

SANTIAGO, Chile -- Chileans are electing their next president Sunday following a polarizing campaign between a free-market firebrand likened to Donald Trump and a millennial former student protest leader who promises to attack nagging inequality in Latin America's most advanced economy.

José Antonio Kast, a lawmaker who has a history of defending Chile’s past military dictatorship, finished ahead in the first round of voting last month but failed to secure a majority of votes. That set up a head-to-head runoff against Gabriel Boric, who trailed him by about two percentage points.

Whoever wins will be breaking precedent. Since the return of democracy three decades ago, no candidate leading after the first round has ever been defeated in the runoff. But no president has ever been elected without winning in the capital, Santiago, which Boric carried comfortably in the first round.

Opinion polls in recent days consistently showed an advantage for Boric, although sometimes within the margin or error, meaning the contest is likely to be decided by whichever candidate is able to energize his base while at the same time winning over the majority of voters who don't side with political extremes.