Chileans reject a draft new Constitution, for the second time in a year

Chileans rejected a draft new Constitution on Sunday, December 17, for the second time in just over a year. The “against” vote won with 55.75% of the votes, while the “for” obtained 44.25%, according to the official results of the referendum, published by the Electoral Service after counting 99% of the ballots. This means that the fundamental law dating from the dictatorship of Augusto Pinochet will remain in force in the country.

More than 15 million voters were asked to vote for or against the draft new fundamental law, which has a very conservative tone. The text submitted to the vote was written by those who defend the legacy of General Pinochet, after the rejection in September 2022 of a first progressive proposal. The revision of the Constitution, considered as an obstacle to any fundamental social reform, was enacted to satisfy the 2019 social movement against inequalities which left around thirty dead.

President Gabriel Boric, the youngest leader in Chile’s history at 37, has closed the door to any further attempts to reform the Constitution. “Under this mandate, the constitutional process is closed. There are other emergencies”the president said on Sunday. “Our country will continue with the current Constitution, because after two constitutional proposals submitted to a referendum, none has succeeded in representing or uniting Chile in its beautiful diversity”, he added. Gabriel Boric had supported the first proposal, formulated by the left, and opted for neutrality on the second.