Chile rejects the constitutional text again. The gap between the two positions is larger than expected. What do these results tell us? The first reading, the most obvious, is the failure of the right to make this second constitutional attempt a success. The main culprit for this failure is undoubtedly the Republican Party, which had the opportunity to prepare a text calling for unity and at the same time was victimized, just as the Left was victimized in the previous process. Now the center-right is also responsible for this failure, because it should have done much more to include the social democrats, but preferred to act tough and ally with the Republicans, probably to avoid a voter exodus.
For the left and the center-left, this result is undoubtedly a relief. The proposed constitution constitutionalized the mixed provision of social rights and freedom of choice, thereby excluding the left from the political game. However, this victory is still bitter for them. The new Constitution is an original demand of the Left to overcome the “Pinochet Constitution”, and today this Left has preferred the “Pinochet Constitution” to this new text born in democracy. A Greek tragedy. Perhaps the government benefits most from this outcome. The right has done its utmost to turn this constitutional vote into a referendum on government, and has done it a favor, because if that were the case, the result would be extraordinary. By the way, the Executive would be making a huge mistake if it thought that this victory by the opposition was an endorsement of the government, but it should not be naive not to use this result to promote an agenda that we still do not see.
But be careful, these metrics are linear. The no vote may also reflect a rejection of the entire political class. The accounts are not happy. After four years and two constitutional attempts, we are worse than before: more polarized, with a complex economic situation, more insecurity among citizens, more distrust of institutions. People are angry, disappointed, tired; Politics from the right and left have been unable to respond to citizens' demands; their polarization has only weakened our democracy; and the result of this referendum could be the symptom of their crisis.
And now this? How do we move forward? Can we learn a lesson from all this?
Perhaps the most important lesson from these four years is that electoral revenge is short-lived, bread for today, hunger for tomorrow. We can only move forward with unity, with great agreements and with civil friendship, without losing our legitimate differences. That was the secret of the Concertación's success; Secret was considered a sin for the young revolutionaries of the Frente Amplio, who today rule without governing. Chile cannot wait any longer. We need more humble and generous politicians. It's time to help the government that desperately needs it and give up its childishness and arrogance to start doing the wrong thing once and for all with responsibility towards citizens.
Sylvia Eyzaguirre She is a senior researcher at the Center for Public Studies (CEP).