WEB DESK
In Chile, people have comprehensively voted against a new, progressive constitution that was drafted to replace the 1980 document written under Gen Augusto Pinochet’s dictatorship. It brings a stinging setback to President Gabriel Boric who argued new document would have ushered in a new progressive era. With 99 percent of the votes counted in Sunday’s plebiscite, the rejection camp had 61.9 percent support, compared to 38.1 percent for approval amid heavy turnout with long lines at polling states. Voting was mandatory.
President Boric, who had lobbied hard for the new document, said the results made it evident the Chilean people were not satisfied with the constitutional proposal that the convention presented voters.
President Boric made it clear the process to amend the constitution would not end with Sunday’s vote. He said it was necessary for leaders to work with more determination, more dialogue, more respect to reach a new proposed charter.
The proposed document was the first in the world to be written by a convention split equally between male and female delegates.
The result deals a major blow to Mr Boric, who at 36 is Chile’s youngest-ever President. Chilean political leaders of all stripes agree the constitution that dates from the country’s 1973-1990 dictatorship must change. Boric has called on the heads of all political parties for a meeting tomorrow to determine the path forward. The vote marked the climax of a three-year process in a country of 19 million population.