Iceland's new constitution: The voice of the people

[TotalMayhem]

Iceland elects ordinary folk to draft constitution

REYKJAVIK, Iceland—Iceland's getting a new constitution -- and it's really going to be the voice of the people.

The sparsely-populated volcanic island is holding an unusual election Saturday to select ordinary citizens to cobble together a new charter, an exercise in direct democracy born out of the outrage and soul-searching that followed the nation's economic meltdown.

Hundreds of people are vying for the chance to be among up to 31 people who will form the Constitutional Assembly slated to convene early next year -- a source of huge pride for Icelanders who have seen their egos take a beating in recent years.

Way to go ...

[janepaisley]

Iceland elects ordinary folk to draft constitution

Way to go ...

ireland will follow suit with its own new constitution when this peoples revolution gets further down the road

[Captain Con O'Sullivan]

Go for it Iceland ... I have to say I've great admiration for their guts and willingness to impose themselves as the bosses over their public representatives.

Rejkyavik abu

[Greengoddess]

GG is on hols here in Iceland. Spectscular place re scenery etc. lots of terrifyingly fit tourists! The extent of democratic power here puts us to shame. They have done what we should have done and haven't. It is very clear that by the time we realise that we can't pay the bank debt the damage done to the economy will make recovery much harder. What they did was of course, not without pain. I don't know why they want to join the EU either. Will it even be there by then?

[Slim Buddha]

GG is on hols here in Iceland. Spectscular place re scenery etc. lots of terrifyingly fit tourists! The extent of democratic power here puts us to shame. They have done what we should have done and haven't. It is very clear that by the time we realise that we can't pay the bank debt the damage done to the economy will make recovery much harder. What they did was of course, not without pain. I don't know why they want to join the EU either. Will it even be there by then?

They realised that the old system they had was complete rubbish and not fit for purpose. In Ireland, people have not realised that yet.