Chile - May 2023
Far-right becomes majority in new constitutional assembly
On 7 May, Chileans voted to elect the members of the body entrusted with drafting a new constitution. The new constitution will replace the current one, which dates to the Pinochet dictatorship. A draft prepared by a previous constitutional assembly, which was dominated by the left, was criticised as too progressive and rejected in a September 2022 referendum.
25 women and 26 men were elected as members, as per the constitutional requirement guaranteeing gender parity. The country’s right-wing parties will make up the majority of the new constitutional assembly, with the far-right Republican Party obtaining the most seats, 22 out of 51. Due to the latter’s conservative views, including its opposition to abortion, the assembly’s configuration has implications for how rights will be addressed in the new draft. Analysts consider this result as a reflection of President Boric’s declining approval. Around 15.1 million Chileans participated in the election, in a process where voting was mandatory.
