The draft of the new constitution of Chile is now published. The constitutional convention met for the first time on 4 July 2021 and has now completed a draft constitution that the people of Chile will vote on in September 2022. It has been a process of inspiration and hope, but also of controversies, and especially of hard constitutional work.
With Gabriel Negretto I discuss the main political institutions of the new constitution. He describes the ups and downs, and the milestones that were reached by the convention. He has been following the process up close.
Almost exactly a year ago, I talked to Claudia Heiss in Episode 8 about the incredible journey that Chile has taken from the overwhelming street protests that caused the popular votes on a constitutional convention to drafting a brand new constitution. Gabriel Negretto now comments on the continuation of this extraordinary journey.
Gabriel Negretto is a Full Professor of Political Science at the Institute of Political Science of the Catholic University of Santiago de Chile. His research focuses on comparative constitutional politics, electoral and constitutional change, and democratization, and he has also been a consultant to international organizations, such as the United Nations, and the Inter-American Development Bank, among others.  His most recent book is titled Redrafting Constitutions in Democratic Regimes: Theoretical and Comparative Perspectives (Cambridge University Press, 2020), and he also published countless articles in top academic journals including the American Political Science Review.
Show notes with a full transcript and links to all material discussed: https://rulesofthegame.blog/chiles-new-constitution/
Schedule: 0:00 Introduction / 3:07 Personal questions / 4:54 Milestones during the process / 22:16 democratic institutions / 50:46 Recommendations by Gabriel Negretto
Find more information about Gabriel Negretto research here: https://gabrielnegretto.com/
Follow Gabriel Negretto on Twitter: https://twitter.com/NewBehemot
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Please enjoy this wide ranging conversation with Gabriel Negretto.