Chile chooses independents to draft new constitution

Ruling coalition loses out as Chile prepares to rewrite its constitution following mass protests against inequality and elitism in 2019.

Chile’s centre-right ruling coalition suffered a shock loss on Sunday night after failing to secure a critical one-third of seats in the body that will draft the country’s new constitution. With 90 percent of the votes counted, candidates backed by President Sebastian Pinera’s Chile Vamos coalition had won only a fifth while independents had picked up the most. New proposals will require two-thirds approval and without a third of the delegates, the government will struggle to block radical changes to the constitution unless it can forge new alliances. The result – and defeats for Chile Vamos candidates in mayoral, governatorial and municipal elections held at the same time – bode ill for the ruling coalition ahead of general and presidential elections in November.