Chile’s Republican Party Wins Majority in Constitutional Council Elections
Chile’s ultra-right Republican Party has won a majority of seats on the Constitutional Council, which will rewrite the country’s constitution. The council is tasked with drafting a new constitution that will replace the one imposed by Gen. Augusto Pinochet’s dictatorship. The Republican Party, led by Jose Antonio Kast, secured 22 out of 50 seats, a major defeat for the country’s centre-left president Gabriel Boric.
Far-Right Secures Majority in Constitutional Council
The Sunday elections have put far-right politicians from Chile’s Republican Party in a position of power to dominate the country’s constitutional council. The Republican Party has long been opposed to changing the current constitution, which was imposed by the dictatorship of Gen. Augusto Pinochet. The victory of the Republican Party in the elections is a blow to President Gabriel Boric, who faces an approval rating of around 30%.
Centre-Left Loses to Far-Right in Constitutional Council Elections
President Boric’s coalition of left-leaning parties, Unity for Chile, came in second place with 28% of the vote. Meanwhile, a centre-right alliance, Safe Chile, took third place with 21%. Null or blank votes accounted for 21% of the total. If the Republicans and Safe Chile unite, it could leave Boric’s allies with little influence over the final text. Preliminary results suggest that left-leaning coalitions will not reach the 21 seats needed to veto proposals or force consensus on certain issues.
Efforts to Create a New Constitution Move Forward
The vote on Sunday marked a significant step in Chile’s effort to create a new proposal for a constitution after 62% of voters rejected the previous charter in September. The previous charter was the first in the world to be written by a convention with equal numbers of male and female delegates. Critics said it lacked clarity, was too long, and went too far in some of its measures, including establishing autonomous Indigenous territories and prioritizing gender parity and the environment.
In conclusion, Chile’s right-wing Republican Party has won the majority of seats on the Constitutional Council. This is a blow to President Gabriel Boric and his coalition of left-leaning parties, who will have limited power to influence the new constitution. Despite criticisms of the previous proposal, efforts to create a new constitution will move forward.
SOURCE: Ref – AFP
Image: google images
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