CHILE: A future of more and better democracy

The power of protest was vindicated when Chile went to the polls in 2020. Chile was home to mass protests in 2019, initially triggered by a rise in public transport fares, which led to an outpouring of frustration at soaring economic and social inequality, a neoliberal economic system that was failing many and an out-of-touch political elite that seemed unprepared to listen to any demands for change. The protest movement refused to settle for weak compromise and demanded a new constitution authored by a democratic process. Pressure paid, and in November 2019 protesters won a commitment from the government, backed by all major parties, to hold a referendum on a new constitution.