Student leader turned politician become Chile's new President

Chile's next president will be a left-wing legislator who rose to prominence during the country's anti-government protests.

Gabriel Boric received 56 percent of the vote, compared to 44 percent for his conservative opponent, Jose Antonio Kast, with nearly all polling stations reporting.

Kast immediately acknowledged defeat, tweeting a photo of himself on the phone with his opponent congratulating him on his "grand triumph" in a show of civility that contrasted with the campaign's polarising rhetoric.

Boric, 35, is set to become Chile's youngest president ever.

Sebastian Pinera, the outgoing president and a conservative billionaire, held a video conference with Boric to offer his government's full support during the three-month transition.

Boric said in a brief televised appearance with Pinera, "I am going to be the president of all Chileans." "I'm going to do everything I can to meet this enormous challenge."

Boric, who is set to take office in March, has capitalised on public outrage over Chile's market-oriented economic model, which is widely credited with fueling decades of rapid economic growth while also stoking inequality.

“Boric is promising to be a president for all Chileans, including those who have opposed his vision for the Chilean future,” she said, “and he says he hopes he can convince them that programme, that future will be better for everyone,” reported AFP.

On the campaign trail this year, he promised to “bury” the neoliberal economic model left by General Augusto Pinochet’s 1973-1990 dictatorship and raise taxes on the “super rich” to expand social services, fight inequality and boost protection of the environment.

In downtown Santiago, his supporters cheered, embraced and waved flags with Boric’s image, as well as rainbow flags of LGBT groups that have backed his socially inclusive policies as well as plans to overhaul Chile’s market-orientated economic model.

“We did it!” 39-year-old Paola Fernandez said tearfully as she hugged her daughter, adding she was happy because of Boric’s progressive policies.