Chile: Kast Approval Rebounds to 33.8 Percent as His Coalition Pushes Him to Negotiate
CHILE · POLITICS
Key Facts
—What happened: President José Antonio Kast’s approval rose to 33.8 percent in August, with 54.4 percent of Chileans disapproving.
—The trend: Pulso Ciudadano shows a recovery from July’s record low of 28.9 percent, his worst reading in office.
—The real story: Kast’s own coalition is pressing him to negotiate his stalled security reform with the opposition.
—The catch: Even after the rebound, more than half the country disapproves of how the president is governing.
—The economy: Santiago announced tax credits for greenfield mining exploration while household arrears keep spreading.
—Who is hurting: One in four Chileans with a previously clean credit record now reports overdue debt.
The Kast approval number is climbing off its floor, but the presidency remains underwater with voters. Meanwhile Santiago is buying growth with mining tax breaks, and Chilean households are falling behind on their debts.
A rebound from the floor
The August edition of Pulso Ciudadano, produced by Activa Research, puts Kast approval at 33.8 percent. Disapproval stands at 54.4 percent, and 11.8 percent did not answer.
The recovery is real but modest. July delivered 28.9 percent, the lowest Kast approval reading since he took office in March.
The series tells the story of a difficult first semester. Kast approval was 34.7 percent in March, 29.1 in April, 31.0 in May and 30.1 in June.
The president keeps 63.4 percent support among right-wing identifiers. Among independents, the figure collapses to about one in five.
Crime remains Chileans’ top national concern at 46.4 percent, according to the poll. Unemployment rose to 32.7 percent, its highest level this year.
His own coalition wants negotiation, not confrontation
The poll recovery lands in the middle of a legislative siege. Kast’s flagship security reform is stuck in Congress, and his own allies want him to bargain.
We documented how the coalition split over the bill and how Kast retreated after a cross-party revolt last week.
Inside Renovación Nacional, the largest government party, the pressure is now explicit. Party leaders have spent weeks asking for dialogue instead of a defeated vote.
Andrés Balladares, an RN deputy, summed up the mood in early August. He asked the government to focus on employment and security and warned against distractions, Publimicro reported.
Senate president Paulina Núñez, also from the coalition, has become the public face of that pressure. Her message is consistent: negotiate the reform instead of losing it.
Tax breaks to restart mining exploration
On the economic front, the government moved to wake up its strongest industry. Daniel Mas, who holds both the Economy and Mining portfolios, announced a plan of tax benefits for mining exploration.
The target is greenfield exploration, the search for entirely new deposits. The package includes direct tax credits and regulatory simplification to unblock projects, Radio Interamericana reported on 30 August.
The logic is jobs. Chile’s economy was flat in the second quarter, joint-weakest in the OECD, and employment is slowing.
Núñez welcomed the plan but asked the government to look beyond large projects. Small and medium miners, entrepreneurs and the state promotion agencies Sercotec and Corfo need attention too, she said.
The quiet deterioration in household credit
The most uncomfortable number of the week comes from Destácame, a Chilean financial platform. Its Financial Wellbeing Thermometer shows arrears reaching households that used to pay on time.
Among consumers with a positive commercial record, 24.5 percent now report some overdue debt. In the first quarter, that share was 16 percent.
The broader measure is worse. Some 53.2 percent of respondents report at least one debt in arrears, up from 44.8 percent in the previous reading.
Destácame’s Financial Wellbeing Index fell from 36.5 to 33.5 points in the second quarter. The company classifies that level as low-critical.
The survey covered 512 platform users in June, so treat the exact percentages with care. The direction, however, matches the consumer protection agency Conadecus, which counts more than four million adults with unpaid debts.
What to watch from here
First, the security reform. Whether Kast accepts a negotiated text will decide if his first big law survives the spring.
A durable Kast approval rebound depends on it.
Second, September’s budget. The government is preparing what local media describe as an austere first budget, due in Congress within weeks.
Third, the mining package. Watch whether the tax credits reach small explorers or stay a tool for the big projects.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Kast’s approval rating in August 2026?
Pulso Ciudadano puts Kast approval at 33.8 percent in August, with 54.4 percent disapproving. That is a recovery from July’s record low of 28.9 percent.
Why is Kast’s coalition pressing him?
His security reform is stalled in Congress after a cross-party revolt. Allies in Renovación Nacional, including Senate president Paulina Núñez, want a negotiated text instead of a lost vote.
What did Chile announce for mining?
Economy and Mining Minister Daniel Mas announced tax credits and regulatory simplification to reactivate greenfield exploration, the search for entirely new mineral deposits.
How bad is Chile’s household debt problem?
Destácame finds 24.5 percent of consumers with a previously positive credit record now report overdue debt, up from 16 percent in the first quarter. Overall, 53.2 percent report at least one debt in arrears.
What worries Chileans most?
Crime leads at 46.4 percent in Pulso Ciudadano, followed by unemployment at 32.7 percent and inflation at 25.4 percent.
Sources & Connected Coverage
Sources: Pulso Ciudadano (Activa Research), August 2026 edition; Radio Interamericana, 30 August 2026; Publimicro, 30 August 2026; Conadecus, 27 August 2026. Related: Kast Needs His Own Side to Pass His Security Reform, Chile’s Kast Retreats on Security Reform and Chile GDP Flat in Second Quarter. More on our Chile hub.
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