Chile restarted its efforts to draft a new constitution after the appointment of a group of experts by the Chilean National Congress to prepare the initial text of the constitution was sworn in on Monday (6/3).
The draft constitution that will be reformulated this time is expected to be more moderate than the previous draft which is predicted to be one of the most progressive constitutions when passed.
However, the draft constitution was rejected by voters in a referendum last September.
The experts will spend three months discussing the 12 institutional foundations for a new constitution that the country’s parliament agreed late last year.
Lawyer Veronica Undurraga, who was appointed by the center-left PPD party to serve on the expert commission, was elected as its chairman.
In addition to the commission of experts, a 14-member committee that will examine the technical feasibility of the constitutional text also began serving on Monday as overseer.
Once drafting is complete, the initial draft of the constitution will be submitted to a constituent assembly whose 50 members will be elected in elections in May.
The constituent assembly will start discussing the preliminary draft drafted by experts in June, and the Chilean people will have the opportunity to express support or rejection of the final text of the proposed new constitution in a referendum on December 17 this year.
“After yesterday’s failed attempt to draft a (new constitution) for 2021-2022, it seems very likely that voters will choose moderation in the constituent assembly elections next May, and in the next referendum,” consulting firm Teneo said in a statement.
If all goes according to plan, Chile will have a new constitution by the end of this year, according to the firm.
Chile’s current constitution was ratified in 1980 during the dictatorship of President Augusto Pinochet and has been amended several times.
Source : Antara
