A large majority of Chileans voted on Sunday to draft a new constitution, according to the preliminary results of the referendum held there. When more than three-quarters of the votes had been counted, it turned out that about 78 percent of the voters voted in favor of the new constitution.
The current constitution was drawn up under the rule of Augusto Pinochet, who ruled the South American country as a military dictator from 1973 to 1990.
In the referendum, voters could also vote on who should draw up the new constitution. About 80 percent of voters want a council of citizens to be set up to draft the new constitution.
A year ago, major protests broke out in the country. One of the demands of the protest movement was a new constitution. Demonstrators took to the streets in droves every day to express their dissatisfaction with the social inequality in Chile.
During the large-scale demonstrations, protesters clashed with agents several times. Dozens of people lost their lives.
Price increases prompted protests
Several price increases were the direct reason for the massive demonstrations. The protesters turned against the government of Sebastián Piñera, focusing in particular on social inequality and the high cost of living.
The straw that broke the bucket was an increase in public transport rates. The price for a metro ride during rush hour rose from about 800 to 830 Chilean pesos (1.05 euros).
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