Chile Voters Reject New, Left-Leaning Constitution

> There was widespread uncertainty about its implications and cost, some of which was fueled by misleading information, including claims that it would have banned homeownership and that abortion would have been allowed in the ninth month of pregnancy.

That sounds familiar.

But 38% of the people voting for it, even with the above lies being widespread, kind of suggests that not much tweaking would be needed to get it over the line. I wonder what the politicians will consider as something expendable and why.

> The Wall Street Journal’s Latin America correspondent Mary Anastasia O’Grady declared that Chile was “on the cusp of collective political and economic suicide” and that any new constitution would represent a “surrender to left-wing terrorists.”

Oh, Wall Street Journal, you never change.

Something to keep in mind is the fact that, as opposed to the 2020 referendum, this one was mandatory for all registered voters[1]. This increased the number of total votes by 5.5 million (7.5m in 2020 versus yesterday’s 13m).

[1]: In Chile, voter registration is automatic and voting is usually voluntary. Until 2012, registration was voluntary but voting was mandatory for every registered voter.