Chile Rejects a New Constitution

Setting the scene

By 2022, Chile was governed by a constitution written in 1980 under dictator Augusto Pinochet. The constitution enshrined neoliberal economics and limited the state's role, contributing to inequality despite Chile's economic growth. Massive protests in October 2019, triggered by a subway fare hike, demanded systemic change. Protesters chanted 'It's not about 30 pesos, it's about 30 years.' The protests forced the government to agree to a constitutional rewrite process.

What happened

After a 2020 plebiscite where 78% voted to draft a new constitution, a Constitutional Convention was elected in 2021, dominated by leftists and independents. The convention drafted a progressive constitution guaranteeing social rights, environmental protection, Indigenous autonomy, and gender parity. On September 4, 2022, Chileans voted in a mandatory plebiscite on the proposed constitution. The result was a decisive rejection—61.9% voted against, 38.1% for, with 85% turnout. The constitution was seen as too radical, too long (388 articles), and drafted by an unrepresentative convention.

Why it still matters

Chile's 2022 plebiscite demonstrated the limits of progressive constitutional change—even in a country demanding reform, voters rejected a draft perceived as too extreme. The rejection forced a new process, which also failed in 2023. The plebiscite showed that constitutional moments require broad consensus, not just majority support. It also highlighted the gap between activist demands and median voter preferences. Chile's experience serves as a cautionary tale for constitutional reformers worldwide about the importance of process legitimacy and moderation. The 1980 constitution remains in force, amended but not replaced.

Background

The outcome prolonged debate over how to replace the Pinochet-era text.