Poll: Chileans move to reject new leftist constitution

Although Chile’s new leftist President Gabriel Boric promised to support the left’s call for constitutional reform, a new survey shows that 46% of voters plan to reject the Andean country’s new constitution in an upcoming national plebiscite, La Tercera reported.

According to new data from the Chilean pollster Cadem, disapproval amongst voters rose by 13 points since polling started in late January and voters planning to approve the new constitution dropped from 56% to 40% in that same period, with a 10-point drop recorded since late March.

Chileans, the data shows, appear to be concerned over property rights, the elimination of the Senate and the fate of Chile’s prolific private pension funds (AFPs).

"Regarding the issues that are discussed in the convention, 50% prefer that there be a Chamber of Deputies and a Senate, 72% consider that society is multicultural and not multinational, 73% are in favor of freedom of choice in pensions to through a mixed system and 75% prefer that the contributions continue to be savings for the workers," the pollster said, according to Reuters.

Boric’s unexpected victory sparked hope among Chile’s left-wing, but the 35-year-old leader entered La Moneda, Chile’s presidential palace, at a turbulent time for the world’s leading copper producer. He will ultimately have to navigate ambitious political projects through a highly polarized society that has been rocked by country-wide protests and untamed terrorist violence in the country’s southern regions and an ever worsening economic climate.

The leader of a broad leftist coalition, which includes Chile's communist party, Boric has long promised to move forward with the left’s thirst for reform and overhaul a market-friendly economic model which many have claimed has deepened economic divides.

Although the constitutional assembly is a result of a referendum in which Chileans overwhelmingly voted to replace the constitution inherited from Gen. Augusto Pinochet’s military government, mistrust in the assembly rose seven points to 55% in recent weeks.

The body has until July to present the new constitution that will then face a mandatory plebiscite towards the end of the year.

The survey also showed that approval of President Gabriel Boric fell five points to 45%, while disapproval rose to 35%, a rise of 15 points in two weeks.