Chile celebrates its historic victory in the fight for a new constitution

Chile celebrates its historic victory in the fight for a new constitution

Chile should get a new constitution. A corresponding question answered in a referendum on Sunday after nearly 94 percent of polling stations counted about 78 percent of voters with a “yes.”

14.8 million citizens of the South American country were summoned to decide whether the current constitution of 1980 – from the time of the military dictatorship of General Augusto Pinochet (1973-1990) – should be replaced. This was one of the central demands of the protesters who took to the streets against the government for weeks about a year ago.

After the closing of the polling stations at night (local time), the conservative president Sebastián Piñera spoke of a victory for democracy and unity. “So far, the constitution has divided us,” said the 70-year-old. Thousands of people celebrated peacefully in the Plaza Italia in the capital Santiago, which many have called “Plaza de la Dignidad” since the protests, and in central squares in other cities.

The referendum also decided on a second question: whether a constituent assembly should be made up entirely of delegates to be elected next April – half men and half women – or whether half the body should be made up of parliamentarians. About 79 percent of the voters chose the first option. The assembly must present a draft after one year at the latest, on which citizens then vote again.

The current constitution has always been criticized for its authoritarian origin, the strong grouping of powers in the central government, and the limited influence of citizens. Proponents of a new constitution now want to strengthen the social role of the state, include basic rights to work, health care, education and clean water, and establish recognition of indigenous peoples. The referendum had been postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic; it was originally planned for April. (sda / dpa)