The people of Chile have rejected a new ‘woke’ constitution that would have compelled governments to prioritise tackling climate change and required women to hold at least 50% of jobs in official institutions. BBC News has more.
Voters in Chile have overwhelmingly rejected a new constitution which was due to replace the one drawn up under Gen Augusto Pinochet’s military rule.
In a referendum, almost 62% voted against the progressive draft.
The margin of the defeat is much larger than opinion polls had suggested.
Chile’s President Gabriel Boric, who had backed the new constitution, said he would work with Congress and civil society to come up with a “new constitutional process”.
“We have to listen to the voice of the people” who, he said, had clearly not been satisfied with the proposal put forward by the constitutional convention.
He said he would continue working to reach a proposal that would “fill us with confidence and unite us all”.
The process to replace Chile’s military rule era constitution started three years ago after mass protests rocked the nation, which is normally seen as a haven of stability in the region.
Almost 80% of Chileans voted in favour of replacing the old constitution in a referendum in October 2020.
But the new document, drafted by a constitutional convention whose members had been chosen by voters, proved too radical for many.
It would have declared Chile a ‘plurinational’ state, recognising the rights of Chile’s indigenous populations – which make up about 13% of the population – to their lands and resources.
The now-rejected draft would also have changed many of Chile’s institutions, such as replacing the Senate with a Chamber of Regions.
It also included key demands by women’s groups such as as the right to abortion and requiring by law that women hold at least 50% of positions in official institutions.
While opinion polls had predicted a ‘no’ vote, the overwhelming rejection – 61.9% against compared with 38.1% in favour of the new constitution – is a slap in the face for President Boric.
The 36-year-old leader was swept into power after the mass protests and his youthful, left-wing cabinet had promised to overhaul Chile’s institutions.
But almost six months into his presidency and after the resounding defeat of the constitution which he backed, he is now expected to make changes to his cabinet to bring in more moderate and politically experienced politicians.
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