Constitution of Chile facts for kids
The Political Chilean Constitution (Spanish: Constitución Política de la República de Chile de 1980) is like a special rulebook for the country of Chile. It explains how the government works and what the main laws are. Think of it as the most important set of rules that everyone in Chile must follow.
What is the Chilean Constitution?
This Constitution is the top law in Chile. It sets out how the country is run. It also protects the rights of people living there. Every country has a constitution or a similar document. It helps keep things fair and organized.
How it Started
The Chilean Constitution was first approved in 1980. This happened after a special vote by the public called a plebiscite. A plebiscite is when all citizens get to vote on an important issue. The Constitution then officially started working in 1981.
A person named Jaime Guzmán was a key figure in writing this important document. He helped put together the original rules.
Changes Over Time
When it was first written, the Constitution had 120 main rules, called articles. It also had 29 temporary rules, known as transitional provisions. These temporary rules helped the country switch to the new system.
Over the years, the Constitution has been updated many times. These updates are called reforms. It was changed in 1989, 1991, 1994, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2005, 2007, and the last big change was in 2008. Because of these updates, the Constitution now has 129 articles and 21 temporary provisions. This shows that a constitution can change as a country grows and needs new rules.
