With 55.6% of votes against and 44.3% in favor, the population disapproves of the text; plebiscite was held this Sunday (Dec 17)
With 96% of the votes counted, Chile's new constitution was rejected by the population. The plebiscite was held this Sunday (Dec 17, 2023). There were 55.6% against and 44.3% in favor of the new Magna Carta. Voting began at 8am and ended at 6pm.
It was the 2nd time that Chile has gone through the process to try to replace the 1981 Constitution, granted during the military dictatorship of Augusto Pinochet (1973-1990).
For those who did not justify their absence, the fine is 32 thousand to 192 thousand pesos (around R$182 and R$1,094, at the current exchange rate). Around 15 million Chileans were eligible to participate, of which more than 5 million correspond to the Metropolitan Region.
The President of Chile, Gabriel Boric, arrived at his polling place at 11:41 am, in Punta Arenas, almost 4 hours after the opening of the polling stations.
Speaking to journalists after the vote, Boric said that “regardless of the result” your government “will continue to work in defense of the people”.
At the end of November, parties from Chile's governing base said they would not promote a 3rd constitutional process if the country's Magna Carta proposal was rejected in the plebiscite.
In a statement, the parties said they were against the new Constitution, as they considered it “doesn’t solve people’s problems”. The following signed the text: Partido Socialista, Partido Comunista, Convergencia Social, Revolución Democrática, Partido por la Democracia, Partido Liberal, Partido Radical, Partido Comunes, Frente Regionalista Verde Social and Acción Humanista.
The proposal rejected this Sunday (Dec 17) is seen by critics as maintaining the principles of Pinochet's Constitution, which has undergone several reformulations since it was promulgated.
The text, predominantly written by right-wing and conservative politicians, addressed the main themes of the Chilean right, such as opposition to abortion, defense of private pensions and the private healthcare system. It also presented less detail on issues of gender equality and the rights of indigenous communities.
In the last survey carried out by Cadem between November 22nd and 24th, 46% of those interviewed expressed their intention to vote against the change in the plebiscite, while 38% stated that they would vote in favor. This was the smallest difference recorded since May. Read the complete (PDF – 2 MB, in Spanish).
For experts, keeping the Constitution in force is a “victory tastes like defeat” left and towards Boric. It was the 2nd constitutional proposal rejected during his government, which already has a high rejection rate.
Data from Cadem indicate that the Chilean president has a disapproval rate of 65% and an approval rate of 30% among the population. He took office on March 13, 2022, after beating right-wing candidate José Antonio Kast with 55.9% of the vote. Initially, his term began with a 50% approval and a 20% rejection.
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