Chilean Congress agreed to hold a referendum on a new constitution in April 2020 to replace the current one, which has been in force since the dictatorship of Augusto Pinochet (1973-1990), after nearly a month of fighting in various parts of the country. .
After hours of intense negotiations, the main opposition parties and the government coalition have signed a “peace agreement and the new constitution” in which they pledge to call the plebiscite.
Under the agreement, which is necessary to modify the current Magna Carta, a consultation will be promoted in April 2020 to answer two questions: whether or not the population wants a new constitution and what type of body should draw up the document, ” Constitutional Joint Assembly “or a” Constitutional Assembly, “explained Senate President Jaime Quintana, a member of the opposition Party for Democracy.
The Constitutional Joint Assembly, driven by the right-wing coalition parties, would be made up of 50% of elected citizens and 50% of acting parliamentarians, while the Constitutional Assembly, promoted by opposition parties, would have all members specifically elected to serve. that.
The election of the members of one or another instance will be held in October 2020, coinciding with the regional and municipal elections under voluntary voting. But voting for the new constitution, if the bill passes the referendum, will be mandatory.
Yesterday’s agreement was passed at a congress in which neither political force has the two-thirds needed to make any changes to the constitution and after nearly a month of violent protests that left 22 dead and thousands injured and detained.
Source: Jornal – Estado de São Paulo
