Arrr! Chilean hearties be givin' a hearty "Nay" to the conservative-penned constitution! They be stickin' to Pinochet's rulebook, arrr!
2023-12-17
Arr, ye scurvy dogs o' Chile be havin' given two constitutions a hearty "nay!" Walk the plank, ye pieces o' parchment!
Chilean voters have rejected a proposed constitution written by conservatives to replace the current Pinochet-era laws. The new charter, drafted largely by conservatives, was criticized for being more conservative than the one it aimed to replace. It sought to deepen free-market principles, potentially limit women's rights, and reduce state intervention. The defeat means that the Pinochet-era constitution will remain in effect. Former President Michelle Bachelet expressed her hope that the current constitution would prevail. The proposed constitution contained controversial articles, such as one that would have protected the life of the unborn and potentially made abortion fully illegal. Another article would have allowed terminally ill prisoners not considered a danger to society to be granted house arrest. Left-wing opposition argued that this measure could benefit those convicted of crimes against humanity during the Pinochet-era. Protests in 2019 led to the decision to write a new constitution in response to widespread inequality in the country. In 2022, voters also rejected a proposed constitution that would have characterized Chile as a plurinational state, prioritized the environment and gender parity, and established autonomous Indigenous territories. The difference in the vote on the proposed constitution was much closer than expected.