The Constitutional Council in Chile was tasked to draft a new constitution in 2023, submitted to referendum on 17 December 2023.^[1] The Constitutional Council was selected by the citizens in an election on 7 May 2023.^[2] Councillor Beatriz Hevia was elected President of the Council by her peers on June 7.

This article needs to be updated. The reason given is: Constitution rejected on 17 dec 2023. (December 2023)

The 2022 Chilean national plebiscite was held on 4 September 2022,^[3] in order to determine whether the public agreed with the text of a new Political Constitution of the Republic drawn up by the Constitutional Convention. It was commonly referred to as the "exit plebiscite" (plebiscito de salida).^[4][5]

The proposed constitution, which had faced "intense criticism that it was too long, too left-wing and too radical",^[6] was rejected by a margin of 62% to 38%.^[7][8]

Boric announced a new process for drafting a new constitution, with Al Jazeera writing, "Most Chileans and their politicians have agreed the constitution that dates from the dictatorship must change." Boric called on the heads of all political parties for a meeting on Monday, 5 September, to chart a path forward.^[9] As a result of the rejection, the incumbent 1980 Constitution will remain in force, with The Guardian writing that "Chile's future looks decidedly uncertain," and that, "Boric has expressed a willingness to repeat the constitutional process, but the basis for reform is still very much up for debate."^[10] Colombian president Gustavo Petro lamented the win of the rejection vote, considering that Chile had decided to "revive Augusto Pinochet".^[11]

The Economist considered that "common sense" had led Chileans to reject the proposed constitution, in what was described as a "blow" for the government of Gabriel Boric.^[12]

In the aftermath of the plebiscite the internal division that the Christian Democratic Party's official support for the "Approve" option had created resurfaced, with various calls for a renewed leadership, and some calling for the expulsion of members who had supported the "Reject" option.^[13]

The election to determine the seats of the Constitutional Council was held on May 7, 2023.^[14] The Council was officially installed on June 7, 2023. Beatriz Hevia (PRCh) was elected as the president of the Council with 33 votes, while Aldo Valle (PS) was elected as the vice president with 17 votes. Aldo Sanhueza (PRCh), who had previously been elected, decided not to take his seat due to revelations of his involvement in a sexual abuse incident in 2019.^[16] As a result, the Council consisted of 50 members.