Chile: Kast’s constitutional reform plan branded “illiberal” across the political spectrum

The essentials

Chilean President José Antonio Kast presented a constitutional reform proposal on August 29, 2026, that would allow him to declare a state of exception without congressional approval. Such a measure temporarily suspends ordinary law and may include a state of emergency, state of siege or martial law. The proposal would also empower the president to restrict freedoms by decree without prior parliamentary oversight. According to Le Monde, political parties across Chile have described the plan as “illiberal,” with concern extending from the opposition to Kast’s own allies.

• Kast wants to declare a state of exception without a congressional vote.
• The reform would allow the president to restrict freedoms by decree.
• Chile’s opposition and Kast’s own allies have called the proposal “illiberal.”