Kast's approval fell to 30% in the third week of October, two points below the previous reading and his lowest since he took office on March 11, 2026, according to [Cadem's Plaza Pública poll No. 698](https://cadem.cl/estudios/caida-generalizada-en-el-gabinete-17-de-los-18-ministros-con-mas-de-40-de-conocimiento-retroceden-en-aprobacion/). Disapproval rose to 65%. In March, the president had started with 57% approval.
The survey, conducted on Friday, October 16, also shows an almost across-the-board decline in the cabinet: 17 of the 18 ministers known by more than 40% of respondents lost ground. Here are the figures, the series since March and what respondents said about pardons and highway tolls.
How Kast's approval has changed since March
Cadem publishes its poll every week. These are the readings with published figures that show the trend:
| Reading | Approve | Disapprove | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| March 15, 2026 (first week) | 57% | 34% | Meganoticias |
| March 29 (after the fuel price rise) | 43% | n/a | Emol |
| July 5 | 37% | 60% | Emol |
| October 4 (No. 695) | 32% | 63% | Cadem |
| October 18 (No. 698) | 30% | 65% | Cadem |
In seven months, Kast's approval fell 27 points and disapproval almost doubled. According to Meganoticias, the 57% in March was the best start for a president in this poll since 2010. The first sharp drop came in late March, after the fuel price increase, and the downward trend continued, with ups and downs, through the winter.
Kast's approval and the national mood
The general mood also worsened. According to the full report, 69% think the country is on the wrong track and 68% are pessimistic about Chile's future, the worst levels since March. The economy weighs heavily: the IMF cut its 2026 growth forecast to 0.6% (see the IMF downgrade), and Congress is debating the 2027 budget.
The best and worst rated ministers
The decline reached almost the entire cabinet. These are the ministers whose approval Cadem reported, with the change from September:
| Minister | Approval | Change |
|---|---|---|
| May Chomali | 55% | -4 |
| Iván Poduje (Housing) | 53% | -5 |
| Catalina Parot | 50% | -6 |
| Fernando Barros | 42% | -8 |
| Louis de Grange (Transport) | 40% | -14 |
| Daniel Mas (Economy) | 40% | -8 |
| Claudio Alvarado | 37% | -9 |
| Jorge Quiroz (Finance) | 31% | -6 |
| Tomás Rau | 30% | -8 |
Louis de Grange had the biggest drop (-14 points), despite announcing the toll cut on the Autopista Central highway. Finance Minister Jorge Quiroz is among the lowest rated along with Tomás Rau, but 61% consider him the most influential minister. Also, 64% think the government should again have a minister spokesperson.
Pardons and tolls: Cadem's other questions
| Question | Result |
|---|---|
| Abolish the presidential power to pardon | 60% agree; 33% prefer to keep it |
| Terminally ill convicts serving sentences at home | 59% disagree |
| Pardons for people over 80 or ill convicted of human rights violations | 64% disagree |
| Pardons for former police or soldiers convicted over the 2019 unrest | 55% disagree |
| Deal to cut Autopista Central tolls by 10% to 25% | 83% aware; 55% agree |
| Extending similar deals to Costanera Norte and Vespucio | 56% agree |
The toll cut, announced by the president on October 12, lowers the rate 10% off-peak and 25% at peak and saturation times in exchange for extending the Autopista Central concession by 20 months, according to Emol and BioBioChile. It still needs an administrative review and a contract amendment. Among Metropolitan Region residents, 58% think it will benefit them or their family.
The effect of the president's national address
Two weeks earlier, poll No. 695 measured reaction to the national address in which the president presented his economic plan. According to Cadem, 67% watched it or followed it, but among those who did, negative ratings prevailed:
| National address (Cadem No. 695) | Result |
|---|---|
| Watched or followed it | 67% |
| Rated it well | 31% |
| Rated it badly or very badly | 49% |
| Most important measure: US$9.5 billion for growth, jobs and reconstruction | 26% |
| Agree with the phrase "never spend what you don't have" | 57% |
| Personal priority: create jobs and grow the economy | 42% |
Jobs remain the main economic concern: national unemployment was 9.6% in the June-August quarter, according to the INE. That agenda, along with security, will be key to whether Kast's approval stabilizes or keeps falling in the coming weeks. In October, the president also made his state visit to Bolivia.
How Cadem poll No. 698 was conducted
| Methodology | Detail |
|---|---|
| Technique | Online survey (Cadem Online platform) |
| Sample | 1,007 cases in 164 municipalities across all 16 regions |
| Fieldwork | Friday, October 16, 2026 |
| Sampling | Non-probability, with quotas by age, area and socioeconomic level |
| Weighting | Gender, age, area, socioeconomic level and vote in the 2025 runoff |
Because the sample is not probabilistic, Cadem does not report a classic margin of error. That is why it is better to read the trend over several weeks than a one- or two-point move. For another recent question from the same poll, see the reading on Bachelet and Boric as candidates of the left.
Frequently asked questions
What is Kast's approval according to Cadem?
30% approval and 65% disapproval in Plaza Pública poll No. 698, conducted on October 16, 2026.
Is it Kast's lowest approval?
Yes. Cadem says it is his lowest since the government began in March 2026, when he started at 57%.
Which minister is best rated?
May Chomali, with 55%, followed by Iván Poduje (53%) and Catalina Parot (50%).
What do Chileans think of the toll cut?
55% agree with the Autopista Central deal and 56% support extending it to Costanera Norte and Vespucio.
