Writing a constitution without parties? The programmatic weakness of party-voter linkages in the Chilean political change.

The article examines the unprecedented surge of independent candidates (ICs) in Chile's 2021 constitutional convention election, where 48 of 138 seats (34.8%) were won by independents, a sharp increase from previous legislative elections. This outcome was largely facilitated by a 2020 electoral law (Law 21,216) allowing ICs to form electoral lists or apparentments, enabling them to pool votes and compete more effectively within a proportional representation system. The study finds that ICs performed particularly well in low-income urban municipalities, especially in Santiago's Metropolitan Region, where distrust in traditional parties was high, while rural areas remained strongholds of party-affiliated candidates. Additionally, campaign spending increased the likelihood of electoral success more for independents than party candidates, and younger independents had higher chances of winning, reflecting the social and generational dynamics following Chile's 2019 social outbreak. The article situates Chile's experience as exceptional compared to other constitutional assemblies worldwide, highlighting the combined influence of institutional design and socioeconomic context on the rise of independents.