Chile elects 35-year-old leftist Gabriel Boric as president

Chileans on Sunday elected Gabriel Boric, a leftist millennial who gained prominence as a student leader during anti-government protests in 2019 and 2020, as their next president. His ultra-conservative rival, José Antonio Kast, conceded defeat about 90 minutes after polls closed, with Boric leading him by a wider-than-expected 12 percentage points, according to incomplete results. Boric will be the youngest leader in modern Chilean history, and the second-youngest leader in the West, following San Marino's Giacomo Simoncini.

Outgoing President Sebastian Pinera, a conservative billionaire, congratulated Boric on a publicly broadcast video call and pledged his government's support during the three-month transition period. Boric vowed to do his "best to rise to this tremendous challenge."

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Peter Weber, The Week US

Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.