Chile Now Has a Chance to Get New Constitution Right
By
Patricio Navia
Voters showed that they want a new charter, not a new country.
The decisive victory for the Reject vote in the constitutional referendum—on a margin of 62% to 38%, with an unexpectedly high 85% turnout—can be summarized in a simple but powerful message: Chileans want a new constitution, not a new country. And Chile now has an opportunity—though not a lot of time—to draft a new constitution that lays to rest the Pinochet-era text. It can now combine the popular demand for more social rights with the need to promote sustained economic growth that can fund a stronger safety net and improve living conditions. The bad news The bad news is...
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