The Icelandic Constitution: A Story of Democracy in Action

In this podcast episode, the extraordinary story of Iceland's constitutional journey is explored. After the financial crisis in 2008, the people of Iceland demanded a new constitution to replace the outdated one inherited from Denmark. They organized a national assembly and a citizen's assembly to discuss and draft a new constitution. The process involved diverse voices from different segments of society and emphasized transparency and public participation. Despite facing challenges and political resistance, the process resulted in a crowd-sourced constitution, backed by a strong majority in a referendum. However, the implementation of the new constitution has been hindered by political obstacles. Nevertheless, activists continue to fight for constitutional change and aim to change the amendment process to allow for a constituent assembly and a referendum to amend the constitution.