VOTERS in Chile went to the polls on Sunday and rejected a proposed right-wing constitution to replace the country’s dictatorship-era charter.

With nearly all votes counted, about 55.8 per cent had voted No to the new charter, with about 44.2 per cent in favour.

The vote came more than a year after Chileans resoundingly rejected a proposed constitution written by a left-leaning convention, one that many characterised as one of the world’s most progressive charters.

The new document, largely written by right-wing councillors,  would have deepened free-market principles, reduced state intervention and might have limited some women’s rights.

The process to write a new constitution began after 2019 street protests when thousands of people demonstrated demanding an end to neoliberalism.

On Sunday night President Gabriel Boric said that his government will not make a third attempt to change the constitution, saying there are other priorities.

He admitted he wasn’t able to “channel the hopes of having a new constitution written for everyone.” On the contrary, he said, after two referendums, “the country became polarised, it was divided.”

Javier Macaya, the leader of the right-wing Independent Democratic Union party, said: “From a perspective of coherence and respect for democracy, we recognise the results.”

One of the most criticised articles in the draft said that “the law protects the life of the unborn” with a slight change in wording from the current document that some warned could make abortion fully illegal. 

Government employee Johanna Anriquez, who voted against the new constitution, called it “extremist.” She added: "Let’s keep the one we have and, please, let’s get on with the work of providing public safety.”

The constitution adopted during the dictatorship of Augusto Pinochet will now remain in effect.