1980 Chilean constitutional referendum

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 referendum was controversial, as Chile was then being ruled by a military dictatorship, and it ensured that Augusto Pinochet would remain in power with a rule by decree until 1988, after which he was peacefully removed from power following a popular referendum. Further reforms, beginning in 1989 and most recently in 2005, have attempted to make the constitution more democratic.

A referendum held in 2020 after waves of popular protests approved the drafting of a new constitution. In September 2022, the proposed left-wing document was rejected, 62% to 38%. Following a second process, in December 2023, a propsed right-wing replacement was rejected, 55.8% to 44.2%. These outcomes effectively guaranteed the 1980 charter would remain in effect.