Chile's centrists, overshadowed in election, could yet play kingmaker

FILE PHOTO: Chilean Presidential candidate Yasna Provoste from center left-wing 'Nuevo Pacto Social' (New Social Pact) coalition takes part in a live televised debate, in Santiago, Chile, November 15, 2021. Esteban Felix /Pool via REUTERS/File Photo

SANTIAGO (Reuters) - Chile's centrist presidential candidates are lagging behind the polarized favorites on the right and left ahead of Sunday's election, but could play roles as kingmakers in an expected second-round run-off.

Yasna Provoste, 51, a former teacher, sits in third place in opinion polls for the powerful center-left Christian Democratic party, behind hard-right front-runner Jose Antonio Kast and leftist former student protest leader Gabriel Boric.