Iceland’s ‘crowd-sourced’ constitution may have stalled, but the experience offers lessons for constitutional reform in other states

In the wake of the financial crisis which nearly bankrupted Iceland, the country began a process to create a new constitution which could maintain the confidence of a public understandably disenchanted with their political elite. As Hélène Landemore writes, what followed was a ‘crowd-sourced’ project which ultimately fell at the final hurdle. However she argues that the experience did show that it is possible to create a kind of constitutional process which is not limited to elites.

• Primary Source

ESO: Background information: Icelanders back first ‘crowdsourced constitution’ http://www.europeansources.info/record/icelanders-back-first-crowdsourced-constitution/

openDemocracy: Can Europe Make It?, 19.06.13: Democracy on ice: a post-mortem of the Icelandic constitution https://www.opendemocracy.net/can-europe-make-it/thorvaldur-gylfason/democracy-on-ice-post-mortem-of-icelandic-constitution

openDemocracy: Can Europe Make It?: Spotlight on the Icelandic Experiment https://www.opendemocracy.net/can-europe-make-it/spotlight-on-icelandic-experiment

openDemocracy: Can Europe Make It?, 30.06.15: Iceland's unfinished revolution? An interview with Hordur Torfason https://www.opendemocracy.net/ourkingdom/phil-england/iceland%27s-unfinished-revolution-interview-with-hordur-torfason

The Independent, 28.06.15: Iceland's 'pots and pans revolution': Lessons from a nation that people power helped to emerge from its 2008 crisis all the stronger http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/icelands-pots-and-pans-revolution-lessons-from-a-nation-that-people-power-helped-to-emerge-from-its-2008-crisis-all-the-stronger-10351095.html

The Conversation, 28.10.16: Iceland’s crowd-sourced constitution: hope for disillusioned voters everywhere http://theconversation.com/icelands-crowd-sourced-constitution-hope-for-disillusioned-voters-everywhere-67803

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