Chilean voters have rejected a proposed conservative constitution in a referendum held a little over a year after turning down a leftist charter. With nearly all votes counted, approximately 55.8% voted against the new constitution, while about 44.2% favored it. The rejection underscores the deep division in the country and the failure of political factions to address people’s demands for change.
The proposed conservative document, written by conservative councilors, was more conservative than the existing charter and would have deepened free-market principles. The rejection marks the end of attempts to replace the dictatorship-era constitution that had triggered widespread protests in 2019.