From Jennifer M. Piscopo, Occidental College and Peter Siavelis, Wake Forest University
at The Moderate Voice:
One year ago, Chileans took their anger over inequality and injustice to the streets, insisting that redressing the nation’s deep structural problems would require more than reform. They said Chile would need a new constitution with more rights and better social protections.
On Oct. 25, in a popular referendum, the rest of the country overwhelmingly agreed with their diagnosis.
Chile’s referendum asked voters two questions: Should Chile convene a constitutional convention to write a brand-new constitution? If so, who should write that constitution – an assembly comprising half congressional representatives and half citizens, or an assembly comprising just citizens?