User:Kriaarchives/sandbox

Icelandic Constitutional Commission (2013-2016) The Icelandic Parliament's Constitutional Commission (2013-2016) was appointed by the Icelandic Parliament on November 6th, 2013 for the purpose of constitutional reform. It was part of a series of efforts to reform the Icelandic constitution following the 2008-2011 financial crisis, including the Constitutional Council's redrafting of the constitution. The Constitutional Committee and its work were criticized by citizens and civil society groups as undemocratic because its work overshadows the earlier work of the Constitutional Council, a citizen's assembly based on the principles of deliberative democracy and popular sovereignty, whose draft constitution was approved by the 2012 Icelandic constitutional referendum.

The 2008-2011 financial crisis and demand for constitutional reform
Iceland's current Constitution was adopted in 1944. According to its critics, the constitution was hastily written upon Iceland's declaration of independence from Nazi-occupied Denmark, and was intended to be provisional instead of permanent. The 2008-2011 financial crisis highlighted the urgent need to reform by the constitutional convention. The nationwide protest, known as the Pots and Pans Revolution, demanded constitutional reform. In 2009, a National Forum, consisting of 1,500 citizens, was organized by grassroot organizations and think tanks to discuss values underpinning the Icelandic Society.

The Act on a Constitutional Assembly
In 2010, the Parliament passed an Act on a Constitutional Assembly, which stipulated the creation of a National Gathering and subsequent Constitutional Assembly. The National Gathering, alternatively called the National Assembly of 2010 and convenes before the election of the Constitutional Assembly, closely resembles the National Assembly of 2009: it consisted of 1,000 citizens selected by the means of random assembly, and are aimed at providing viewpoints and opinions on the organization of Icelandic government and its constitution.

The Constitutional Assembly with 25 members were elected, and very soon declared null and void by the Supreme Court. The Parliament re-appointed the elected members of the Constitutional Assembly to the Constitutional Council in March 2011. With significant citizen participation, the Constitutional Council finished a draft constitution on 29 July 2011 and presented to parliament on the same day.

Referendum
A non-binding constitutional referendum on recommendations written by the Constitutional Council was held in Iceland on 20 October 2012. Voters were asked whether they approved of six proposals included in the new draft constitution:

Do you wish the Constitution Council's proposals to form the basis of a new draft Constitution?

In the new Constitution, do you want natural resources that are not privately owned to be declared national property?

Would you like to see provisions in the new Constitution on an established (national) church in Iceland?

Would you like to see a provision in the new Constitution authorising the election of particular individuals to the Althingi more than is the case at present?

Would you like to see a provision in the new Constitution giving equal weight to votes cast in all parts of the country?

Would you like to see a provision in the new Constitution stating that a certain proportion of the electorate is able to demand that issues are put to a referendum?

All six questions were approved by voters.

Work done by the Constitutional Commission from 2013-2017
After their appointment, the Icelandic Parliament's Constitutional Commission began discussing important topics in constitutional reform, including referendums, transfer of power, natural resources, and environmental protection. In June 2014, the Constitutional Commission published the 1st interim report (Icelandic: Starf stjórnarskrárnefndar 1. áfangaskýrsla), outlining their recommendations. The 1st interim report and the Constitutional Commission was criticized by citizens and civil society groups who considered their work an attempt to overshadow and replace the earlier draft constitution written by the Constitutional Council, which was approved as a basis of constitutional reform in the referendum, and demanded that the draft be submitted to the Parliament for approval. Despite criticisms, the Constitutional Commissions continued the discussion, commenting, and expert review of draft bills on constitutional reform; topics include elections and electoral district structure; office of the President of Iceland; duties and tasks of Alþingi, government and ministers; courts; human rights. In Feburary 29, 2016, their work was published as three new constitutional provisions.

Members of the Constitutional Commission
The commission consisted of representatives nominated by the political parties with seats in the Icelandic Parliament. Four representatives were nominated by government parties and four by the opposition. The chairman was directly appointed without a nomination. Between the establishment of the committee and the end of its work in 2017, several members have resigned and new members were nominated to replace them.