Chile to draft New Constitution

According to Chilean President Sebastian Pinera, Chilean assembly is set to draft a new constitution for the country which will replace the one inherited from dictatorship of Augusto Pinochet. Its first session will be held on July 4.

Key Points

• Constitution will be re-written following a broad political consensus which was agreed to, after violent social protests of 2019 against inequality in Chile. Referendum was held which got favour of 78% of Chilean, on October 25, 2020.
• Convention represents a great opportunity to achieve new constitution and it will be recognized & respected by all Chileans under the framework of unity & stability toward future democracy.
• Convention will comprise of 155 delegates who were elected in May, 2021.

Background

Constitution of 1980 has problems of legitimacy. The constitutional commission was not representative of political spectrum of Chile because its members were handpicked by Pinochet dictatorship. As a result, constitution has been frequently modified (20 times) ever since democracy was reinstated in the country.

About Chile

The country in western South America, occupies long, narrow strip of land between Andes in east and Pacific Ocean in west. It covers an area of 756,096 square kilometres and a population of 17.5 million. It is closest to Antarctica and the southernmost country worldwide. It shares border with Peru, Bolivia Argentina and the Drake Passage. It also controls Pacific islands of Juan Fernandez and Easter Island in Oceania. Its capital and largest city is Santiago while Spanish is the national language. Chile is known as copper country of the world.

Month: Current Affairs - June, 2021