Chile: Voters Reject New Conservative Constitution That Would Have Replaced Pinochet Era Constitution

The Chile constitution issue continues to hound the South American country as voters rejected a more conservative constitution a year after rejecting a more leftist one as the country continues to formulate a new constitution that would replace the current one made during the Pinochet dictatorship.

According to Reuters, 55.68% of Chileans rejected the new text, while 44.32% voted in favor of it. This comes as 90.16% of ballot boxes have already been tallied, and it looks like the referendum to make this conservative version of the new constitution would fail, much like the leftist one.

This is the second draft constitution made in Chile that was supposed to replace the current text. It came about as the Pinochet-era constitution brought inequality to the country and sparked protests in 2019, prompting the government to formulate new constitutional drafts.

"Finally, after four years of intense debate and constitutional conversation, we've ended up at the same point," political analyst Kenneth Bunker told Reuters, adding that the end of the vote should bring more political stability and confidence for investors. However, it is also noted that many in Chile are still voicing mistrust and disenchantment with the process after years of polarization and political infighting.

Many in Chile who were inspired by the first referendum on the constitution have lost confidence in this second one as they felt that this was more or less the same thing, with nothing much changing.

Proposed New Chile Constitution Was Mainly Written By Conservative Councilors

This new proposed Chilean constitution was a lot more conservative than the Pinochet-era text it sought to replace as it would have deepened free-market principles and reduced state intervention on several matters. It also gained much criticism as it limited women's rights.

With the measure to put up that proposed new constitution already failing, the conservatives who led the effort to introduce it have already accepted defeat, including the leader of the conservative Independent Democratic Union party, Javier Macaya. As the resolution he and his allies tried to pass failed, he urged the government not to raise the issue again, per the Associated Press.

With the new charter being rejected, this means that the current constitution, which many have criticized as causing massive inequalities for Chile, will remain in effect.

Proposed New Chile Constitution Was 'Dangerous For Women,' Warned Critics

Before it was rejected by voters, critics and women's rights advocates sounded the alarm bells and said that it reads "more like a Republican manifesto" than an actual constitution.

"Children, women, the environment, and the welfare state will be the losers," said one of the people who helped create the first constitutional draft that failed last year, Antonia Rivas. "And the winners would be those who already have the most."

"When you write a constitution without thinking of everyone, it's destined to fail," she told The Guardian, "That's the lesson we've learned twice, in my opinion."

The new constitution would have criminalized abortion, which is currently allowed in Chile for select reasons, such as rape, danger to the mother's life, or if the baby will not survive beyond birth. It has been called a step backward by women's rights advocates.

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Rick Martin

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