Early results released shortly before midnight indicate that roughly two thirds, or 68.3 percent, of voters in today’s advisory referendum voted in favor of Iceland adopting the draft Constitution prepared by the Constitutional Council. Turnout in Reykjavík South electoral district is estimated at 51.4 percent, RÚV reports.
Alþingi, the Icelandic parliament. Photo copyright Icelandic Photo Agency.
The ballot included six questions to which voters could either respond ‘yes’ or ‘no’:
1. Do you wish the Constitution Council’s proposals to form the basis of a new draft Constitution?
2. In the new Constitution, do you want natural resources that are not privately owned to be declared national property?
3. Would you like to see provisions in the new Constitution on an established (national) church in Iceland?
4. Would you like to see a provision in the new Constitution authorizing the election of particular individuals to the Alþingi more than is the case at present?
5. Would you like to see a provision in the new Constitution giving equal weight to votes cast in all parts of the country?
6. Would you like to see a provision in the new Constitution stating that a certain proportion of the electorate is able to demand that issues be put to a referendum?
As the referendum is non-binding, parliament will ultimately decide whether the draft will be used as a guideline for a new Constitution, which would replace the existing Constitution from 1944.
Click here to read more about today’s referendum.
ZR
