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President José Antonio Kast saw a three-point bump in his approval rating, reaching 41% following his first State of the Nation address in Valparaíso, according to the latest Cadem Plaza Pública poll. Despite this rise in public support, the evaluation of the speech's content hit a record low since 2010, with only 50% of respondents viewing it positively—a figure 13 points lower than that achieved by former President Gabriel Boric in 2022.
The ceremony drew massive attention, with 78% of the population following the presidential message, the highest figure recorded for such events in the last 16 years. However, the public's assessment was critical: 59% felt the President lacked self-reflection, 56% noted the absence of a concrete security plan, and 54% indicated that no clear roadmap for the coming years was presented.
Seventy-six percent of those surveyed identified the core theme of the speech as the establishment of an "emergency government" focused on security, the economy, and immigration. Specific measures enjoyed high support: 92% back intensive intervention in 50 high-crime neighborhoods, 87% agree with stripping social benefits from those who commit crimes or acts of incivility, and 85% support improving economic conditions for recruits at the Carabineros police academy.
Academic Aldo Mascareño told CNN Chile that "family, merit, and security appear to be the vectors of this government." However, the proposal for a National Registry of Vandals—which includes five-year sanctions, a ban on registering property and vehicles, and the withholding of tax refunds—has sparked debate. Former minister Jorge Burgos warned that if that were the only measure, "it is certainly classist."
The executive branch has clarified that the National Registry of Vandals will not include those convicted of white-collar crimes, price-fixing, or human rights violations. Alongside his legislative efforts, President Kast met with UDI deputies at Cerro Castillo Palace on Tuesday to coordinate the official agenda following his address to Congress.
Public expectations regarding the viability of the government's promises are concentrated in specific areas. Sixty-four percent believe it is possible to pass the protected schools plan, while 63% consider it feasible to strengthen the role of the Carabineros and the PDI, and 61% view the proposed changes to the student selection system as likely to succeed.
