Iceland a New Constitution

 Gigur volcanic eruption, Iceland

Katrin Oddsdottir discussed Iceland’s fury at the 2008 economic crash. 25 people were selected to draw up a new constitution. A population of 333,000 required a new identity. Corrupt bankers a total of 27 were jailed for 74 years. 15,000 people attended street protests. The previous Icelandic constitution was based on the old Danish constitution.

Iceland became free of Danish control in 1944, the Icelandic constitution was 98% composed of the Danish constitution. Power is paramount with little trust in the people in power. The constitution is a social contract. The Icelandic government was forced to resign. The IMF was in charge. 1,500 came forward and 25 were chosen, some from street protests to draw the constitution. The submissions were crowd sourced which was possible in a small population like Iceland's.

The Icelandic constitution states: ‘All shall inherit the right to life at birth’, ‘Right to property is inviolate. In the US constitution of 1781, human rights are supreme. The Irish constitution dating from 1983 states: 8th amendment to the constitution was there to prevent legislators from dealing with abortion. The smug dismissive convenor decided that one has to be a lawyer to understand the Irish constitution when both Michael Collins attempt at drawing up a constitution and Eamonn de Valera's 1937 constitution were not practicing lawyers. This individual was rejected by the electorate.

The new Icelandic draft constitution was ratified by the Icelandic government.

Source: Galway International Arts Festival July,

2022