New constitution for Chile rejected: “Half the country was ignored”

The draft for a new constitution in Chile was rejected in a referendum with a large majority. The vote is also a defeat for President Boric. This tries to initiate a new constitutional process.

In the square of dignity in the center of Santiago there is bewilderment. Nobody here would have expected such a clear triumph for the Rechazo – the rejection of the new draft constitution. Here, where Chile’s social revolt began in 2019, the reform process that was to lead to a new constitution that evening was initiated. But now tears flow, while the first horn concerts begin from those who voted no.

Paulina Soto, who had supported a new constitution, notes that Chile is now stuck in the same swamp: “We continue to accept all the injustice and social inequality in our society, even after all these three years in which we fought so much. For what , I wonder? The fear of change was stronger.”

Sadness, anger and bewilderment are what are now spreading among many supporters of the draft constitution, adds Claudia Salas. “There was so much fake news and right-wing hate campaigns about the constitution. This country simply has no memory, it is afraid of change. We had the chance to finally shake off the legacy of the dictatorship and then we backed out. It all means nothing good.”

New constitution should rebuild Chile

The new constitution should transform Chile from the ground up, into a welfare state that strengthens women’s rights and environmental protection, recognizes the indigenous peoples and actively cares for the well-being of the people, instead of leaving private enterprise to the fore, as the current constitution, which is still pending times of the Pinochet dictatorship. Just two years ago, 80 percent of voters voted for a new constitution – and now this?

The national anthem is sung in the headquarters of the Rechazo, celebration mood, breathe a sigh of relief. “We want a new constitution, but not this one,” says Ximena Rincon, senator of the conservative Christian Democratic party Partido Demócrata Cristiano de Chile: “This result clearly says that a majority in the country would like to have another chance for a better constitution , which represents everyone.”

“Failure of Radicalism and Arrogance”

The social contract was drawn up by 155 elected representatives of the people, including just as many men as women who – buoyed by the euphoric atmosphere at the time – all mostly came from the left-wing and progressive camp. Right-wing and conservative candidates did not even gain a blocking minority.

However, the Constituent Assembly did not represent the cross-section of Chilean society. Critics say the draft is little more than a left-wing wish list. Chile could turn into a second Venezuela, others warned. Cristian Warnken, spokesman for the more centrist Amarillos por Chile movement, said: “It was a defeat of hubris and arrogance, half the country was ignored and not included. A radical left has turned its back on the rest of the country. The result is very clear. People do not feel represented by this constitution.”

A bitter defeat for President Boric too

The question is: what now? The rejection of the constitution, with such a clear advantage, is also a bitter defeat for Chile’s President Gabriel Boric, who was celebrated as a young, left-wing hope when he was elected. The result of the referendum, while trying to distance himself, was also a vote on his first year in office. For the first time, voting was compulsory in this vote: more than 13 million of the approximately 15 million eligible voters in Chile cast their votes, a historic record.

Boric explained on Sunday evening that a new attempt at a constitution should now be started with all those involved: “Even those of us who have supported this historic transformation process must be self-critical. Chilean men and women have demanded a second chance. That’s why I’m betting I am committed to doing everything possible to initiate, together with Congress and civil society, a new constitutional process that draws lessons from the old process and succeeds in interpreting the broad majority of the population in a new text.”

Boric invited all political parties to analyze the continuation of the constitutional process on Monday. Meanwhile, the atmosphere around the Plaza Dignidad in central Santiago heats up. Motorcades circled the plaza, a few stones were thrown. Chile’s society is deeply divided. Initiating a new constitutional process will be anything but easy.