page_title: 1980 Chilean constitutional referendum
section_title: Aftermath
hierarchical_section_title: 1980 Chilean constitutional referendum / Aftermath
caption_attribution_description: Constitución Política de la República de Chile de 1980
context_page_description: A constitutional referendum was held in Chile on 11 September 1980. The proposed new constitution would replace the 1925 constitution, and was approved by over two-thirds of voters.
  The new constitution ensured that Augusto Pinochet could remain as President of the Republic for a further eight years with increased powers, after which he would face a re-election referendum. Further reforms, beginning in 1989 and most recently in 2005, have attempted to make the constitution more democratic.
context_section_description: The results of the referendum approved the Constitution of 1980. However, the given results were objected to by the political opposition, headed by the ex-senator Patricio Aylwin and more than 46 others, arguing that this result did not tally with electoral records. One objection was that voters were only marked by ink on the thumb, which came off rapidly, making electoral fraud easy. These criticisms were rejected by the Scrutiny Association, and the Constitution was promulgated on 21 October 1980.
  The new constitution took effect on 11 March 1981. On this date a transition period of eight years began, during which General Pinochet, acting as President of the Republic and the Military Regime (Junta), exercised constituent and legislative power.
caption: 1980 constitution
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