Work starts on constitution

Santiago: Chileans have begun the long process of writing a new constitution after Monday’s landslide vote in favour of the project.

Fourfifths of voters said they wanted the new charter to be drafted by a specially elected body of citizens, made up of half women and half men, over a mixed convention of lawmakers and citizens, highlighting general mistrust in Chile’s political class.

The 155seat convention of citizens will be elected in April and have up to a year to agree on a draft text. Chileans will then vote again on whether to accept the text or revert to the previous constitution. — Reuters