More than 15 million Chileans are called to the polls today to vote “for” or “against” a new constitutional proposal to replace the Magna Carta in force since the dictatorship after a failed attempt last year.
The new text, written by a majority of constituents from the right and extreme right, is more conservative than the one it seeks to replace both morally and economically, since it would deepen the principles of the free market, reduce State intervention and could limit some rights, such as reproductive rights.
The vote occurs a year after Chileans rejected with 62% of the votes another project, then drafted by a constituent with a left-wing majority, which many described as one of the most progressive constitutional initiatives in the world.
Whatever the result of the plebiscite, this seems to be the end of a process that began after the social outbreak of 2019 where thousands of Chileans took to the streets to demand better pensions, health, and education and to end inequalities, unprecedented protests. in the history of this South American country considered one of the most stable democracies in the region.
If voters reject the new text, the 1980 text, drafted by the military regime of Augusto Pinochet (1973-1990) but which has been reformed up to 70 times, will remain in force.
The new constitutional proposal states that Chile is a social and democratic State that “promotes the progressive development of social rights” through public and private institutions. Its detractors claim that, although there is freedom of choice in health, education or pensions, only those with purchasing power will be able to choose.
Feminist groups and personalities such as former president Michelle Bachelet denounce that the change in the wording of the new proposal “the law protects the life of the unborn” compared to the current “the law protects the life of the unborn” could pave the path to repeal therapeutic abortion on three grounds (rape, risk to the mother’s life or unviability of the fetus) that has been in force since 2017. They also denounce setbacks in matters of social services or political participation.
The initiative also contains controversial elements on issues such as immigration by enshrining the expulsion of irregular immigrants “as soon as possible”, conscientious objection by institutions, the right to strike or tax exemption from paying contributions for the first home.
Supporters of the text point out that it is a modern text, which enshrines issues that concern citizens such as security or freedoms and that it will give certainty to the country to emerge from a long period of uncertainty.
The second constitutional process has been marked, unlike the first, by the disaffection, apathy and little participation of citizens, who have turned their backs partly due to the blow caused by the failure of the first among the most progressive but, above all, , due to the exhaustion faced by citizens after 10 electoral processes in less than two and a half years.
Whatever result is imposed, the ruling party will not have much to celebrate and if President Gabriel Boric wins the rejection, and several political parties have also assured that they will not promote a third constitutional attempt.
The latest polls gave an advantage to rejecting the text – an option promoted by the ruling party – about eight points ahead of those who support it – the opposition groups. But in all the polls the difference has been narrowing in recent weeks with a significant number of undecided or changing opinions, so there is a lot of uncertainty regarding the results.
The news in an unfortunate week for the government could also impact the results.
On Wednesday, the arrest and imprisonment of the two protagonists accused of a corruption case involving a party in the ruling coalition was announced. The next day, a person who had previously been pardoned by the president was arrested for kidnapping.
And on Saturday a shooting in a shopping center in a middle-class neighborhood of the capital that reported no victims was the most recent example of one of the issues that most worries Chileans, security.
