Boric faces toughest week as poll slump meets key reform vote

Chilean President Gabriel Boric is navigating his toughest period in office, marked by a sharp decline in public approval and a critical vote on his economic reform.

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the worst week for the president in office.

Recent polls from Cadem, a prominent Chilean consultancy, show Boric's approval rating at a mere 37%, with a 60% rejection rate. This marks his lowest point since taking office in March. Another firm, Criteria, had previously indicated a downward trend, reporting 35% support and 53% rejection.

Political scientist Mario Herrera of the University of Talca described Boric's "honeymoon" period as the shortest in recorded polling history. The president assumed office with 46% approval, but a significant drop occurred after a "bencinazo" – a term for the sharp increase in fuel prices resulting from the government's decision not to subsidize gasoline costs amidst global price hikes.

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the shortest honeymoon in history since opinion polls began.

Adding to the public's discontent is rising unemployment. The National Statistics Institute reported a 9.4% unemployment rate for the March-May quarter, the highest in five years, with youth unemployment at 24.6%. Analysts suggest that the public's focus has shifted from security and migration to the overall economic situation.

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It meant a significant loss of support for Kast when he had only been in office for two weeks, and he has not been able to recover it since.

The president's struggles are attributed to a combination of factors, including the political cost of unpopular early policies, a struggling economy, leadership errors, and a perceived erosion of his personal appeal. The "bencinazo" incident, while deemed "technically responsible" by analysts, proved politically damaging. The economic downturn, characterized by inflation and poor growth figures, further exacerbates the situation.

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There is a movement in citizen preferences. If at the beginning of the government, in order, the priorities were security, migration, and the economy, today the assessment of the country's situation weighs much more heavily.