Gabriel Boric (b. 1986) — Biography & Facts

Taking office on 11 March 2022, Gabriel Boric became the youngest head of state in the history of Chile. His ascent from a university student leader in Santiago to the presidency followed two consecutive terms as a member of the Chamber of Deputies, marking a rapid shift in the country's parliamentary landscape during the early 21st century.

Early Background and Education

Born in 1986 in Punta Arenas, Boric attended The British School before relocating to Santiago in 2004 to enroll at the University of Chile. He pursued studies within the Faculty of Law, where he completed his primary coursework by 2009. Although he attained the presidency of the Law School students' union, he did not complete the final examination requirements to obtain a formal law degree.

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Student Activism and Parliamentary Start

Boric gained national visibility during the 2011–2013 student protests, notably winning the 2011 election for president of the University of Chile Student Federation. In 2013, he secured a seat in the Chamber of Deputies as an independent, successfully bypassing the traditional binomial election system. He represented the Region of Magallanes and the Chilean Antarctic during his tenure, which lasted from 2014 to 2022.

The Presidency and Constitutional Reform

Following his term as a deputy, Boric won the 2021 presidential election, defeating José Antonio Kast with 55.9% of the vote. His administration, which spanned from 2022 to 2026, was marked by efforts to rewrite the national constitution, though voters rejected the government's proposal in September 2022. During his time in office, he maintained a cabinet that featured a female majority, a first for any government in the Americas.