Hopes rest on Chile's new charter drafters

A 155-member elected body in Chile tasked with drafting a new constitution started work early this month on a project that many hope can help set a path forward for the divided country.

The constituent assembly, called the Constitutional Convention, designated as its president Elisa Loncon, a leader of the Mapuche indigenous people.

"There are many hopes focused on this historic constituent process," said Carlos Adasme, former mayor of Maipo Island, 50 kilometers south of Chile's capital Santiago. "For the first time, Chileans have the opportunity to establish a new constitution through a participatory process, where new foundations for this diverse and conscious (nation) will be established."

The current constitution, which will be replaced by the new one drafted by the Constitutional Convention, was written in 1980, when Augusto Pinochet was ruling the country. Pinochet's constitution replaced one that had dated to 1925.

The South American country is profoundly divided. Social unrest severely hit the country in 2019 and 2020 and, as a consequence, President Sebastian Pinera oversaw a national plebiscite last year to seek the opinions of Chileans on writing a constitution that can help initiate a new chapter for the nation.

In the referendum, which was held on Oct 25, more than 78 percent of Chileans who cast their ballots said they favored constitutional change. However, turnout was low, with only 50.9 percent of those registered to vote participating in the exercise.

Referring to the referendum and the subsequent go-ahead for elections to choose members of the Constitutional Convention, Juan Carlos Aguilera, founder of Polites Club, a group that promotes civic dialogue, said it was a "political response" to violent rebellion and social unrest.

Doubts raised

However, there have been questions about the composition of the body that will draft the constitution. The members of the convention, who were elected in May, include some with extreme ideological leanings.

"There has been no progress on peace and we are in a situation that involves drafting a new constitution, in which the elected members of the convention include several who are and were protagonists of the so-called front line that destroyed an important part of the historical, cultural and religious heritage of the country," Aguilera said.

The Constitutional Convention has up to a year to draft a constitution that would need to be endorsed by the people in a vote, once the process in the legislature concludes.

However, Aguilera warns that anything written in the new constitution could be in vain if there is no economic growth in the country.

"Over 2 million Chileans are in poverty and out of them, about 600,000 are living in extreme poverty conditions … while there are about 1 million jobless Chileans," he said.

The legislative process to draft a new constitution could influence the results of general elections scheduled for Nov 21. A likely presidential runoff election is envisaged for Dec 19.

The writer is a freelance journalist for China Daily.