Icelandic Constitutional Assembly

An Icelandic Constitutional Assembly (Stjórnlagaþing) for the purpose of reviewing the Constitution of the Republic was summoned by an act of Althingi, the Icelandic parliament, on June 16, 2010 as a conseccuence of the Kitchenware Revolution. In an election on November 27, 2010, 25 delegates were elected. On January 25, 2011, following complaints about several faults in how the election was conducted, the Supreme Court of Iceland invalidated the results of the election. The parliament began the same day with deliberations on whether and how to continue the process, and they decided that those 25 elects would be a part of a Contitutional Council and the Constitutional change went on[1]. On 29th July, 2011 the draft was presented to the Parliament.

Contents

Act on a Constitutional Assembly

According to the Act on a Constitutional Assembly no. 90/2010, a special Constitutional Assembly will gather for the purpose of reviewing the Constitution of the Republic, no. 33 of June 17, 1944. The Assembly was to be composed of 25 delegates that were elected by direct personal election. The Assembly had to convene by February 15, 2011 and finish its work no later than April 15, 2011.

Purpose

The Assembly is to prepare a proposal for a revised Constitution of the Republic and when the Assembly has passed the constitutional bill, it shall be sent to the Althingi, which is constitutionally responsible for the passing of laws to change the Constitution. After its decision, elections need to be called, in which the electorate makes the final decision on changes to the constitution. The aim of the Assembly is to enable a "dialogue between the peoples and their legislature". The Constitutional Assembly builds on National Forum 2010 (Þjóðfundur) of 1000 citizens which developed themes for the new constitution on November 6, 2010.[2]

The Assembly will for the first time in Iceland's history review broad areas of the constitution:[3]

“
  1. The foundations of the Icelandic constitution and its fundamental concepts;
  2. The organisation of the legislative and executive branches and the limits of their powers;
  3. The role and position of the President of the Republic;
  4. The independence of the judiciary and their supervision of other holders of governmental powers;
  5. Provisions on elections and electoral districts;
  6. Public participation in the democratic process, including the timing and organisation of a referendum, including a referendum on a legislative bill for a constitutional act;
  7. Transfer of sovereign powers to international organisations and the conduct of foreign affairs;
  8. Environmental matters, including the ownership and utilisation of natural resources.
 ”

The Constitutional Assembly is also empowered to address additional matters beyond “reviewing the Constitution of the Republic”.

Elections to the Constitutional Assembly

Main article: Icelandic Constitutional Assembly election, 2010

References

  1. ^ http://www.icelandreview.com/icelandreview/daily_news/Constitutional_Assembly_Elects_Appointed_to_Council_0_374415.news.aspx
  2. ^ National Forum 2010.
  3. ^ http://politicalreform.ie/2010/10/22/election-of-a-constitutional-assembly-in-iceland-2010/

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