Getting back citizenship
1/11/2005A few years ago I obtained my Australian citizenship and simultaneously—at least in theory—I lost my Chilean one. Last September the Chilean congress approved law No 20050 (PDF version in Spanish) reforming 54 aspects of the constitution including:
- Recovery of citizenship and accepting the principle of ‘ius sanguinis’ (acquisition of citizenship through descent—textually, by right of blood). This would give my son access to Chilean citizenship.
- Elimination of designated (non-elected) and lifetime senators.
- Reduction of the presidential period from six to four years.
- The president can now remove commanders in chief of the military and security forces, without requiring the consent of any external authorities.
- The National Security Council (Consejo de Seguridad Nacional) has its role greatly reduced, minimising its interference in public affairs.
Finally, after fifteen years of recovering democracy (year and a half after a famous plebiscite), there are substantial changes to the political system eliminating several of the vestiges (but not all) of a dictatorial system.
Filed in miscellanea, politics
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