The Icelandic parliament, Althingi, agreed on Thursday to appoint the 25 elects who were supposed to review the country’s constitution after a Constitutional Assembly election in November, which was later invalidated by the Supreme Court, to a Constitutional Council.
The parliament. Photo by Páll Stefánsson.
An exact date has yet to be set but the council is expected to convene in late April, as opposed to February 15, which was when the Constitutional Assembly was supposed to convene, Fréttabladid reports.
It is estimated that the council will work for three months but that its members can apply to extend the work period to four months if necessary.
One of the 25 elects, Inga Lind Karlsdóttir, has announced that she will not accept the parliament’s invitation to take a seat on the council. Thirteen have said they will accept the invitation but others have yet to make up their minds.
According to the parliamentary resolution on the Constitutional Council approved by Althingi yesterday, if some of the 25 elects do not want to take a seat on the council, the runners-up will be offered to take their place.
However, it must be guaranteed that either gender will be represented by no fewer than ten of the 25 councilpersons.
The runners-up are Íris Lind Saemundsdóttir, who placed 26th in the election, followed by Stefán Gíslason, Thorgeir Tryggvason, Jón Ólafsson, Magnús Thoroddsen and Birna Thórdardóttir.
Click here to read more about the Constitutional Council.
