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| Chile 2020 national plebiscite | |
|---|---|
| Name | 2020 Chile constitutional plebiscite |
| Date | 25 October 2020 |
| Country | Chile |
| Type | Referendum |
| Electorate | 14,900,000 |
| Turnout | 51.0% |
| Result | Approve drafting of new constitution; constituent assembly option selected |
Chile 2020 national plebiscite presented Chilean voters with choices on whether to replace the 1980 Constitution and the mechanism for drafting a new charter, held on 25 October 2020. The vote followed months of mass demonstrations in Santiago, Valparaíso, Concepción and other locales, intense negotiation among parties such as Renovación Nacional, Unión Demócrata Independiente, Partido Socialista de Chile, Partido por la Democracia and social movements including Frente Amplio (Chile), Comunes (Chile), Colectivos estudiantiles and neighborhood assemblies. The plebiscite outcome set in motion a process involving institutions like the Servel (Chile), the Corte Suprema de Justicia de Chile and the eventual election of a Constitutional Convention.
The plebiscite emerged from the 2019–2020 Chilean protests, a wave of demonstrations triggered by a Metro de Santiago fare increase and broader grievances linked to neoliberal policies instituted under the Pinochet dictatorship, including the 1980 Constitution promulgated during the Military dictatorship of Chile (1973–1990). Protest movements invoked symbols such as the Plaza Baquedano encampments and demands addressed to figures like Sebastián Piñera and institutions including the Cámara de Diputadas y Diputados de Chile and the Senado de la República (Chile). The political pact known as the "Agreement for Social Peace and a New Constitution" negotiated by party leaders and signed at the Teatro Caupolicán formalized the path to the plebiscite.
Legally, the plebiscite was framed within reforms enacted by the Congreso Nacional de Chile, with the Senado de Chile and Cámara de Diputados de Chile approving an enabling law that delegated organization to the Servicio Electoral de Chile. The debate engaged jurists from the Colegio de Abogados de Chile, constitutionalists associated with the Universidad de Chile, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile and international observers from institutions such as the Instituto Internacional para la Democracia y la Asistencia Electoral. Political actors from Chile Vamos, Partido Comunista de Chile and indigenous organizations like the Consejo de Todas las Tierras contested provisions on representation, quorum rules and indigenous rights enshrined in proposals influenced by instruments like the Convenio 169 de la OIT.
Campaigns split broadly between proponents advocating for a "New Constitution" and advocates for "Keep the Constitution", with coalitions such as Apruebo Dignidad campaigning alongside unions like the Central Unitaria de Trabajadores and social groups including Movilh and Mujeres del 8M. Opposing blocs featured coalitions aligned with Chile Vamos, business groups such as the Confederación de la Producción y del Comercio and media outlets like El Mercurio (Chile), La Tercera and Canal 13 (Chile), which framed debates on fiscal rules, pension reform referencing the Administradoras de Fondos de Pensiones and public services reform linked to institutions like the Sistema Nacional de Salud (Chile). International actors and personalities including Pope Francis and leaders from Argentina, Brazil and México offered commentary that shaped narratives around sovereignty and rights.
Voters faced two linked questions: whether to approve drafting a new constitution and whether the drafting body should be a Constitutional Convention or a mixed body (a Convención Mixta). The Servicio Electoral de Chile implemented expanded voting hours and health protocols amid the COVID-19 pandemic in Chile; measures included additional polling stations, ballot disinfection and special voting for elderly voters and patients in hospitales. The plebiscite employed paper ballots, ballot boxes supervised by local juntas electorales and international observation by delegations from the OAS and UN-linked monitors.
Preliminary and final tallies showed a decisive victory for the "Approve" option, with a majority electing the Constitutional Convention over the mixed body, and turnout exceeding historical referendums though variable across regions such as Región Metropolitana de Santiago, Región de Valparaíso and Región del Biobío. The results altered the composition of elected delegates to later contests including lists backed by Movimientos sociales and parties like Partido Radical (Chile), Partido por la Democracia, Partido Comunista and independents supported by platforms such as the Lista del Pueblo. High-profile political figures including Daniel Jadue and Giorgio Jackson were central to post-plebiscite mobilization even as judicial reviews were filed in the Corte Suprema regarding certain procedural disputes.
The plebiscite triggered the election of delegates to a Constitutional Convention, reshaped agendas in the Congreso Nacional de Chile and influenced policy debates over reforming the Sistema de Pensiones (Chile), water rights originally structured under laws from the Pinochet era, environmental protections relevant to Atacama Region and indigenous autonomy claims tied to groups like the Mapuche people. The process intersected with the presidential politics of figures such as Sebastián Piñera and subsequent administrations, municipal reforms in cities like Valparaíso (city), and legislative proposals concerning emergency powers and public health management during the COVID-19 pandemic in Chile.
Domestic reactions ranged from celebratory rallies in Plaza Italia (Santiago) to cautious responses from business chambers and conservative parties, while international commentators in outlets associated with institutions like the Inter-American Development Bank, World Bank and various universities offered comparative analyses with constitutional processes in Iceland, South Africa and Spain. Scholars from Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile and Universidad de Chile assessed implications for social rights, electoral systems and decentralization, while NGOs such as Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International monitored subsequent developments in policing and accountability tied to the 2019 protests.
Category:2020 referendums Category:Politics of Chile Category:Constitutional referendums