Criteria Poll: Kast Approval Ticks Up to 35%, But 47% See Chile 'Retreating'

A Criteria survey published August 9 put President Kast's approval at 35%, up one point from the prior wave, with disapproval at 52% (down three points) and 13% undecided. Despite the modest rebound, the poll found deepening pessimism about the country's direction: 47% of respondents said Chile is 'retreating' (retrocediendo), up sharply from 31% in March, while those expressing hope for the future fell from 53% to 36% over the same period. A separate late-July Pulso Ciudadano poll had put Kast's approval at just 25.6% with 58.9% disapproval — the lowest of his term to that point — underscoring continued volatility in his standing five months into government amid the megarreforma fight, the storm-relief response, and the pardons debate.