Chilean cabinet reshuffled after proposed constitution rejected

Santiago, Sep 7 Chilean President Gabriel Boric has replaced six cabinet ministers after voters rejected the proposed new constitution in a referendum earlier this week.

Boric, who had backed the new Constitution, called on the new government to continue reconciliation efforts to push forward the process of drafting a new constitution, reports Xinhua news agency.

"We must listen to and walk together with the people, that is what I ask of this new cabinet," the President was quoted as saying.

The Ministries involved in the reshuffle are Interior, Social Development, Health, Energy,and Science, Technology, Knowledge and Innovation.

The Ministry General Secretariat of the Presidency also has a new chief.

On Sunday, Chilean voters overwhelmingly had rejected the new constitution which was due to replace the one drawn up under Gen Augusto Pinochet's military rule.

In a referendum, almost 62 per cent voted against the progressive draft.

The process to replace Chile's military rule era constitution started three years ago after mass protests rocked the nation, which is normally seen as a haven of stability in the region.

Almost 80 per cent of Chileans voted in favour of replacing the old constitution in a referendum in October 2020.

But the new document, drafted by a constitutional convention whose members had been chosen by voters, proved too radical for many.

It would have declared Chile a "plurinational" state, recognising the rights of the country's indigenous populations, which make up about 13 per cent of the population, to their lands and resources.

The now-rejected draft would also have changed many of Chile's institutions, such as replacing the Senate with a Chamber of Regions.

It also included key demands by women's groups such as as the right to abortion and requiring by law that women hold at least 50 per cent of positions in official institutions.

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