Chile begins the process of drafting its new constitution

Chile begins the process of drafting its new constitution on Sunday, July 4, with the official establishment of the Constituent Assembly, which is responsible for drafting it and comprising 155 elected citizens at the end of an unprecedented democratic process, after months of strong social opposition.

The legislature, which will function for a minimum of nine months and a maximum of twelve under the new basic law, is fully equal and its 17 seats are reserved for representatives of the tribal people.

In the history of Chile, “This is the first time citizens have chosen a body to write on.” A constitution, Agens France-Press (AFP), a professor at the University of Diego-Portales, insists on Claudio Fuentes. By the end of the poll on May 15 and 16, the new constituencies appeared to be very diverse. Independent candidates represent 40% of the elected authorities, which is detrimental to the lists listed by the traditional parties.

To many analysts, this is the Constituent Assembly “Looks like real Chile”, With environmental activists, community leaders, lawyers, teachers, journalists, economists, but also housewives. Representatives of traditional political parties are in the minority, and no political force has the required one-third of the veto required, and two-thirds of the debate requires approval.

A new referendum in 2022

About twenty members of the Constituent Assembly were among the Chilean people who took to the streets to express their views with the social uprising that erupted on October 18, 2019. Santiago, which initially targeted the rise in metro ticket prices, quickly turned the protest into an unprecedented movement against social inequality.

Political parties reached an agreement with the scale of the protests, which ended on October 25 with 1.2 million protesters Vote on Constitutional Change (79% Approved). Many protesters accused the text of the vote in 1980 of being the backbone of the radical liberal economic system established under Augusto Pinochet (1973-1990) and a break for any fundamental social reform.

Due to health problems associated with the epidemic, on Sunday, newly elected officials will swear in the gardens of the old parliament in Santiago. They will go to the polls for their president and vice president. Later, the sessions will take place in the former parliament or in another public building in the center of the capital.

At the end of their mission, the new constitution will be submitted to the referendum in 2022. If rejected, the current text will remain in effect.