September 06, 2022

Chile rejects new constitution: what happens next?

topic:	Democracy
located:	Chile
editor:	Ellen Nemitz

On 4 September, the constitutional process in Chile - sparked by the social demonstrations in 2019 and turned into reality after the plebiscite in which people chose to rewrite the magna carta - came to an end. The rejection ("Rechazo" in Spanish) to the draft aiming to establish a record of social rights won by 62 percent - the opposite choice had a majority of votes only among some Chileans living abroad. The results were received as a defeat for the right-wing parties and supporters, while conservatives celebrated the public’s decision.      

"It was clear that Chileans prefer moderate changes," analysed the political scientist Ana Vanessa Cárdenas to the Observatory of Political Reforms in Latin America. The Chilean office for Amnesty International clearly expressed its sorrow for the result: "Today is a sad day. We have missed the historical opportunity to have a new Constitution," the institution said on Twitter. Along with the caption, a video simulates a letter in which someone reads the facts about the past three years, closing the message with hope: "And we are the ones who will continue dreaming about what keeps us awake: to live in a fairer, more dignified and more humane Chile."

FairPlanet asked the political scientist Fiorella Ulloa, who holds a master degree in International Relations, to evaluate what influenced the results on Sunday. In her opinion, it was a multi-factor issue, beginning with the loss of legitimacy of the constitutional convention (a gender-parity group of representatives from different peoples and ethnicities, but which also includes polemical figures) coupled with economic factors, such as the devaluation of Chilean currency and the high inflation rate. 

Moreover, the campaign for the Apruebo ("approval" in English) was largely embraced by Gabriel Boric's administration, linking his decreasing rates of endorsement to the plebiscite itself. Third, Ulloa says, part of the population felt that the proposals were too radical on social rights - regardless of whether they were, indeed, or not. "The clearest example is the emphasis given to the recognition of indigenous peoples, in a context of growing violence in southern Chile against the Mapuche people," explains the member of the Women Political Scientists Network.

From now on, President Boric committed to resume the conversations with parliamentarians to seek a good balance that addresses Chile's demands. "Beyond the legitimate differences, I know that the desire for dialogue and conference prevails," he said in a post-result speech. The willingness for change, he added, "requires our institutions and political actors to work with more commitment, dialogue, respect and affection, until we achieve a proposal that interprets us all."

Despite a consensus among politicians that the constitutional process may not be finished now, it can be hard to find a good deal in a polarised context. Ulloa highlights that each political group proposes different ways of moving forward, which is most likely to put the country in an uncertain stage. In any case, she warns: "The right-wing must act with restraint and not read this process as a political victory. People want change, just not in the way that was proposed."

Image by Rai Singh Uriarte

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