Jennifer M. Piscopo and Peter M. Siavelis – Chile’s Constitutional Chaos

Abstract

On 4 September 2022, Chilean voters resoundingly rejected a progressive new constitution that offered a blueprint for social democracy. Some observers argue that Chile wisely escaped a narrow brush with a brand of authoritarian leftism long dominant in Latin America. This interpretation is simplistic and obscures the wider forces of illiberalism that contributed to the constitution’s defeat. With the intrusion of everyday politics into the process, any reboot of the constitutional process will likely lead to a document that offers a much narrower vision of democracy.