Chilean voters reject conservative constitution, after defeating leftist charter last year

Chileans reject proposed conservative constitution, leaving dictatorship-era charter in effect after 2019 protests for change.

Voters rejected on Sunday a proposed conservative constitution to replace Chile’s dictatorship-era charter, showing both the deep division in the South American country and the inability of political sectors to address people's demands for change made four years ago.

With nearly all votes counted late on Sunday, about 55.8% had voted “no” to the new charter, with about 44.2% in favor.

The vote came more than a year after Chileans resoundingly rejected a proposed constitution written by a left-leaning convention and one that many characterised as one of the world’s most progressive charters.

The new document, largely written by conservative councilors, was more conservative than the one it had sought to replace, because it would have deepened free-market principles, reduced state intervention and might have limited some women’s rights.

The process to write a new constitution began after 2019 street protests, when thousands of people complained about inequality in one of Latin America’s most politically stable and economically strongest countries.

Chilean President Gabriel Boric said on Sunday night that his government won't try a third attempt to change the constitution, saying there are other priorities.

He admitted he was not able to “channel the hopes of having a new constitution written for everyone.” On the contrary, he said, after two referendums, “the country became polarised, it was divided.”