In the middle of economic strife, Iceland is in much need of a constitutional overhaul. With a population of 320,000, the country is, believe it or not, some of the most computer literate in the world. Given that, the council responsible for drafting the new constitution is turning to the Internet to get input from its citizens.
According to the Associated Press, two-thirds of Iceland’s citizens are on Facebook (News - Alert) and so the council is utilizing social networking to broadcast its meetings.
"It is possible to register through other means, but most of the discussion takes place via Facebook," said Berghildur Bernhardsdottir, spokeswoman for the constitutional review project.
The current constitution comes from the Danish with a few tweaks and changes, such as substituting the word "president" for "king." This happened after Iceland gained independence from Denmark in 1944.
The need for a review and change comes after 2008, when Iceland's main commercial banks collapsed within a week, the krona currency plummeted and protests toppled the government.
"To me, it has long been clear that a comprehensive review of the constitution would only be carried out with the direct participation of the Icelandic people," said Iceland's Prime Minister Johanna Sigurdardottir, one of the champions of the constitutional review since taking office in 2009, according to AP.
Icelanders can give their direct input to the council by providing their names and addresses, and can then submit online recommendations. he ideas are then passed on to the council, and are open for discussion online.
"The sort of argumentative and negative discussion that has been common on Icelandic blogs and news sites, especially since the economic collapse, has been almost entirely absent," Bernhardsdottir said.
Recommendations include livestock treatment and protection, which if approved, are added to the draft which is available online and open for public comment.
The draft constitution is due to be completed by the end of June, though the council may ask for an extension of one month. After that, it will be sent to Iceland's parliament for debate and approval.
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Michelle Amodio is a TMCnet contributor. She has helped promote companies and groups in all industries, from technology to banking to professional roller derby. She holds a bachelor's degree in Writing from Endicott College and currently works in marketing, journalism, and public relations as a freelancer.
Edited by Jennifer Russell
