Chilean constitutional referendum, 1925

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A constitutional referendum was held in Chile on 30 August 1925. [1] Voters were offered a choice of two draft constitutions; one prepared by a subcommission and supported by President Arturo Alessandri, and a more conservative document prepared by Congress. The liberal version, supported by Alessandri, won an overwhelming victory and the resulting constitution provided a period of stability and a reduction in the power of the previous conservative oligarchy.

Chile republic in South America

Chile, officially the Republic of Chile, is a South American country occupying a long, narrow strip of land between the Andes to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far south. Chilean territory includes the Pacific islands of Juan Fernández, Salas y Gómez, Desventuradas, and Easter Island in Oceania. Chile also claims about 1,250,000 square kilometres (480,000 sq mi) of Antarctica, although all claims are suspended under the Antarctic Treaty.

Arturo Alessandri Chilean politician and President

Arturo Fortunato Alessandri Palma, GCTE was a Chilean political figure and reformer, who served thrice as the President of Chile, first between 1920 and 1924, then for part of 1925, and finally from 1932 until 1938.

National Congress of Chile legislative branch of the government of the Republic of Chile

The National Congress of Chile is the legislative branch of the government of the Republic of Chile.

Contents

Proposals

The subcommision's draft provided for a presidential system in which the President is directly elected. The President would not be allowed to dissolve Congress, and could be removed from office by a majority vote in the Chamber of Deputies and a two-thirds majority in the Senate. Members of Congress would not be allowed to serve as government ministers, and the State Council would be abolished. Provincial Assemblies would be established, and church and state would be separated. [1]

Chamber of Deputies of Chile lower house of Chile legislature

The Honourable Chamber of Deputies of the Republic of Chile is the lower house of Chile's bicameral Congress. Its organisation and its powers and duties are defined in articles 42 to 59 of Chile's current constitution.

Senate of Chile

The Senate of the Republic of Chile is the upper house of Chile's bicameral National Congress, as established in the current Constitution of Chile.

The separation of church and state is a philosophic and jurisprudential concept for defining political distance in the relationship between religious organizations and the nation state. Conceptually, the term refers to the creation of a secular state and to disestablishment, the changing of an existing, formal relationship between the church and the state.

The Congressional draft would have allowed the President to be removed from office by the vote of an absolute majority in both houses of Congress, and give Congress oversight over the state budget. [1]

Electoral system

Voters cast a blue ballot for the subcommission draft, a red ballot for the Congressional draft, and a white ballot for neither. Invalid or blank votes could not be cast. [1]

Results

ChoiceVotes%
Subcommission draft127,48394.84
Congressional draft5,4484.05
Against both1,4901.11
Total134,421100
Registered voters/turnout296,25945.37
Source: Direct Democracy

Aftermath

Following the referendum, presidential elections were held on 24 October and Congressional elections on 22 November. [1]

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