To add articles to the draft constitution which will be subject to a plebiscite later in the year with a supermajority of the 154 members, they must receive a supermajority (103 votes) Articles that receive a simple majority will be subject to further amendments and a future second vote.
The articles, which have been toned down amid pushback by the mining sector and concern over radical proposals such as mine nationalizations, would nonetheless lay the foundations for greater scrutiny of mining and its environmental impact.
After protests against inequality in Chile in 2019, Chileans overwhelmingly voted for a new constitution to be drafted in 2020. However, opposition and political infighting have led to a decrease in support for this process.
The assembly has until May to approve articles and July to complete the draft. The new constitution will be approved or rejected by Chileans on September 4.
If it is rejected by the voters, the country will keep its current market-orientated constitution. This constitution dates back to Augusto Pinochet’s military dictatorship over three decades ago.
(By Natalia Ramos, Alexander Villegas; Editing by Alistair Bell
