Uncertain future: The Hindu editorial on rejecting Chile’s new constitution

Chile’s voters decide to reject the new constitution He The 1980 charter, written under the brutal military dictatorship of General Augusto Pinochet, would have changed It can deepen the country’s political divisions and throw its future into uncertainty. new document, supported by Chile’s 36-year-old leftist President Gabriel Borrico, would have turned South America’s most free-market-friendly country into a state-run, rights-rich welfare society. But it seems voters have concluded that the draft went too far. With almost all votes counted, 62% of voters said ‘no’. drafting the constitution The process itself was the result of months of social and political struggles. Chile saw street protests in 2019 – triggered by a modest increase in metro fares – that prompted then-president Sebastian Pinera to promise to rewrite the constitution. Despite the amendments, the Pinochet-era constitution remains a pro-business, pro-market document that prohibits state interference in the economy. While Chile has seen rapid growth since its market reforms, it has also become one of the most unequal countries in the region, causing discomfort. Mr. Borik rose from this chaos. He had promised a fresh start in his election campaign in 2021. The referendum was his best opportunity to rewrite Chile’s future. But Mr. Borik and his teammates seem to have lost momentum.

The 170-page, 388-article document promised to legalize abortion, provide universal health care, mandate gender equality in government, empower labor unions and toughen regulations on mining. It also sought to define Chile as a “multinational” state that would recognize its 11 indigenous groups, who make up about 13% of the population – they may have their own governing structures and legal systems. The proposal became the rallying cry of the disapproval camp, which argued that the increased rights of indigenous communities (including veto powers on big-ticket projects) and the new constitution’s limits on security agencies would fuel anarchy. Rising inflation and militant insurgency from the Mapuche community made it difficult for Mr Boric to sell the proposals to voters. Chili is now back to square one. The old constitution will remain in force until the Chilean political class finds a way forward. Mr Boric has promised to repeat the constitutional process – elections to the Constituent Assembly and then another draft that is put up for a referendum – which will take time. Conservatives and centrists, who have ruled Chile since the fall of the dictatorship, will seek to maximize their interests in the coming elections. But political conflicts could only worsen the political crisis. As the people of Chile have demanded that the old constitution be repealed and replaced, it is up to politicians to provide them with a document they will support. For this they should start by building a consensus on the future of the country.