Three Chilean alumni play key role in new constitutional process

They are Verónica Undurraga (LAW'95), Sebastián Soto (LAW'07), and Domingo Lovera (LAW'07). 

May 31, 2023

Following the September 2022 rejection of the initial proposal for a new constitutional text drafted by the first constituent assembly, representatives of all Chilean political parties established a negotiation table which gave way to a second constitutional process.

One of the three bodies created for this purpose was the Expert Commission to draft a pre-proposal for the Constitutional Council to use as a starting point for the new text that will be subject to a referendum in December 2023.

The commission consists of 24 commissioners appointed by Congress, with half selected by the Chamber of Deputies and the remaining half by the Senate. On March 6, 2023, during its installation, the 24 experts unanimously named Verónica Undurraga (LAW’95) — supported by the center-left Party for Democracy — as president and Sebastián Soto (LAW’07) — supported by the right-wing Evópoli — as vice president. A third Columbia alumnus, Domingo Lovera (LAW’07), also integrates the body.

Undurraga studied Law at Universidad de Chile, coursed a Master of Laws at Columbia, holds a Diploma in Modern Institutions of Family Law, and a PhD in Law from Universidad de Chile. She has worked at the Center for Human Rights at Universidad de Chile, where she directed the Women and Human Rights program, and as a visiting scholar at the University of Toronto. Since 2011 she has taught at Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez’ School of Law, and has been a consultant for the United Nations Population Fund and for Human Rights Watch.

Soto graduated as a lawyer from Universidad Católica and holds an LLM from Columbia Law, along with a PhD from Universidad de Chile. Between 2010 and 2014, he served as the head of the Legislative Legal Division at the Ministry General Secretariat of the Presidency. In 2019, he played a crucial role as a member of the technical team involved in the agreement that paved the way for the first constitutional process. He is currently the director of the Department of Public Law at Universidad Católica.

Lastly, Lovera studied Law at Universidad Diego Portales, an LLM at Columbia University, and a PhD at the University of York in Canada. He is now the director of the Public Law Program at Universidad Diego Portales, where he has also taught Constitutional Law.

The 50 members of the Constitutional Council were elected on May 7 and will begin their work on June 7. Following their establishment, the members of the Expert Commission will join the council. They will be able to attend sessions, and will have the right to speak but not vote. The final draft of the new constitutional proposal will be subject to a referendum on December 17.