Chileans want a new constitution

Santiago de Chile - In a referendum on Sunday, a clear majority voted for comprehensive constitutional reform. The proportion of supporters was around 78.3 percent, while the opponent camp came to 21.7 percent. Another question was about the type of body in which the new constitution should be drawn up.

Sunday's referendum is the award given by President Sebastián Piñera and Chilean politicians to left-wing activists for protests and riots that left damage estimated at nearly $ 2 billion last year.

Here the vast majority voted for a constituent assembly. The members of this body are to be elected in April 2021. A referendum on the new constitution will take place the following year.

Germany's Foreign Minister Heiko Maas (SPD) welcomed the result of the vote. On Monday he spoke of a "good day for democracy in Latin America". The clear result is a "good basis" for the further process towards a new constitution, according to Maas.

The current constitution of Chile dates from the time of the Pinochet military dictatorship. The referendum only came after weeks of protests last year. These were directed against social inequality in the country and were originally triggered by cost increases in the public sector.

Constitutional reform was one of the protesters' core demands.

Source: DerNewsticker.de / La Derecha Diario

Photo: Tomas Munita—The New York Times/Redux