Chile: What will happen now after the rejection of the new Constitution?

The shocking conclusion to the new Magna Carta text has caused confusion among politicians and analysts.

In the referendum held in Chile on Sunday, 4/9, the vast majority (61.86%) of the country’s voters rejected the proposed new constitutional text. Only 38.14% of the voters voted in favor of the text, and 99.97% of the official count was completed.

The overwhelming result, which opposes the new Magna Carta text, has sparked astonishment among politicians and analysts. The down vote was expected to win, but according to analysts interviewed by BBC News Brasil, no one expected it to happen by such a wide margin.

Voter turnout – 13 million voters – was also a record with the implementation of mandatory voting.

The referendum to replace the current constitution of the Augusto Pinochet regime, which has been in force since 1980 and received reforms in Ricardo Lagos’ government in 2005, was called after strong protests in the country in 2019.

In 2020, a referendum was held to find out if Chileans really wanted a new Magna Carta. At that time, almost 80% responded in favor of having a new text. Now, however, the proposal for a Public Constitution of the Republic prepared by the Constitutional Convention has been rejected.

The unveiling of the popular vote polls on Sunday raises the question: What will happen after the Vote Against?

new efforts

In his address to the nation on Sunday night, President Gabriel Boric made it clear that the results showed Chileans were dissatisfied with the proposal made by the Constitutional Convention, but that a new Magna Carta process must continue.

“Together with the National Congress and civil society, I undertake to make every effort to create a new founding itinerary that will provide us with a text that can be interpreted by the majority of citizens based on this information,” Boric said. said.

This Monday, he is due to meet with the heads of the House of Representatives and the Senate, as well as with representatives of the parties in the National Convention.

“Chile today has shown that it is demanding and trusts in democracy. We all have to live this new moment. Therefore, whatever option they choose in the plebiscite, I sincerely ask all citizens to unite in building the future.”

The surviving constitution is the one that has been in force since 1980.

The government does not have a majority of votes in the National Congress. The opposition, gathered in the centre-right, right and far-right sections, has the most seats.

The Speaker of the House agreed with the president when Raúl Soto, MP from the Democracy Party (PPD), said that “we must build a new constitutional road by feeling that all Chileans are involved and by starting the negotiations in the National Congress”.

Supporters of the new text say the articles of the draft constitution are not sufficiently communicated to the public and blame a “fake news” (disinformation) campaign. Among them is Senator Isabel Allende, the daughter of former socialist president Salvador Allende, who died in the 1973 Pinochet-led coup.

Analysts listened to by BBC News Brasil said the constitutional process should be restarted, but only after Boric’s agreement with congressmen.

“A new constitutional process will open up. But this process will continue to be negotiated on the basis of greater clarity about the private sector and its borders, as well as Boric’s talks with political parties, minorities and indigenous peoples,” Chilean analyst Guillermo Holzmann said. said. , from the University of Valparaiso.

Stressing the importance of the National Congress, Boric will initiate a new founding process and possibly an important phase in his government, with a change of ministry and possible new party alliances.

“The President will initiate a new founding process, but it is fully institutionalized and with political parties and government institutions. That is to say, he is setting aside those who do not have political representation in Congress,” Holzmann said.

He recalled that although his supporters were not following the same path at the time, Boric supported holding the plebiscite, which could have given him “more freedom” to move forward in the process, whose rules and stages now still depended on their meetings. and discussions with the National Congress.

“The result of Sunday’s referendum left Gabriel Boric weak in the face of his political coalition, but also strengthened to lead an institutional process that finally led to a new constitution. And there are already talks between the parties of the centre. We have the right to give,” he said.

Former presidential candidate Ricardo Israel, a former professor and political analyst, understands that Boric is “one of the biggest losers” when “combining the government with the option of losing his fate” in Sunday’s referendum.

And what will happen in your vision after that?

“The reforms are being discussed by Congress once again. And everything indicates that there will be a major (political) agreement based on agreement, not imposition, and approved or rejected in another plebiscite,” he said.

Israel agrees with Holzmann that constitutional recognition of indigenous peoples “through multiculturalism rather than multinationality” and the regionalization of Chile, which he describes as very central, should be part of new understandings.

Lucia Miranda, professor and expert in social and feminist movements from the Universidade Católica Silva Henriques in Santiago, agrees that a national agreement will be needed for next steps as the government does not have a majority in Congress.

In his view, after the result and without the government having a majority in Congress, the right could play a larger role in Chile today than expected.

On a TVN talk show earlier Monday, politicians of different tendencies discussed the outcome and possible next steps.

“We all have the responsibility of politicians to walk the path of writing a new constitutional text. And yet we need to understand the reasons for the victory of rejection this Sunday,” said Gonzalo Winter, MP for the left-wing Convergence Social.

For Paulina Vodanovic, head of the Socialist Party, the result was “not a victory of the right,” and according to her, Chileans’ concerns about the economy, housing, education, healthcare and pension system remain under the influence.

Javier Macaya, head of the right-wing UDI party, said Boric “cannot be independent of the outcome of the plebiscite” but supports a political agreement and “could be quick” this week. means the next steps are defined.

– This text was published at https://www.bbc.com/portuguese/internacional-62792789.