9 votes

Vote on world’s most progressive constitution begins in Chile

4 comments

  1. skybrian
    Link
    Chilean voters decisively reject leftist constitution (Washington Post) […] […] […]

    Chilean voters decisively reject leftist constitution (Washington Post)

    With 99.9 percent of ballot boxes tallied Sunday night, about 62 percent of voters rejected the charter, while 38 percent approved it, according to Chile’s electoral authority.

    […]

    To write a new charter, constitutional experts say, Chileans will have to bring the matter to congress, launch an election for a new assembly, and begin the drafting process anew.

    […]

    The 388-article document faced intense criticism that it was too long, too left-leaning and too radical — especially in its structural changes to the country’s political and judicial system. Some said it would destroy Chile’s economy. Like other closely watched referendums around the world — from Colombia’s peace deal to Brexit — the debate was marred by misinformation, disinformation and confusion over the interpretation of such an exhaustive document.

    Yet many of the concerns centered on a core issue of national identity. The proposal described Chile as a “plurinational” country made up of autonomous Indigenous nations and communities.

    […]

    It was written by an unusual elected assembly that drew participants and political newcomers from across the country who had rarely felt represented in national politics. The 155-member constitutional assembly was composed equally of men and women, and 17 seats were reserved for the country’s 10 Indigenous communities.

    But it was made up of mostly independent and left-leaning members, and faced criticism from those who felt the assembly neglected to incorporate the views of conservatives.

    The convention was also plagued by controversies that helped fuel a campaign to discredit it. One prominent delegate was elected to the assembly on promises of free, high-quality health care, citing his own experiences suffering from leukemia. But he resigned after news broke that he was faking his illness.

    8 votes
  2. [3]
    teaearlgraycold
    Link
    Does anyone have a good resource summarizing what’s in this new constitution?

    Does anyone have a good resource summarizing what’s in this new constitution?

    6 votes
    1. cmccabe
      Link Parent
      I still haven’t dug in and read much about it, but I saw this token summary in a CNN article:

      I still haven’t dug in and read much about it, but I saw this token summary in a CNN article:

      The new constitution would have provided full gender parity, added designated seats for indigenous representatives, and increased environmental regulations.

      4 votes