Citizen Deliberation and Formation of Political Party:

The Aftermath of Failed Icelandic Constitutional Reform

Abstract

  This study analyzes the relationship between citizen deliberation for constitutional reform in Iceland and a new political party, the Icelandic Pirate Party. Furthermore, it reveals the momentum for citizen deliberations to lead to the formation of political parties.

  Against the backdrop of the 2008 financial crisis, constitutional reform through citizen deliberation took place from 2009 to 2013 in Iceland. Although the constitutional reform failed eventually, it was followed by the emergence of the Icelandic Pirate Party, whose central policy is to enact a new constitution. This study first examines the transformation of the political opportunity structures as environmental conditions for the citizen deliberation to influence the formation of the Icelandic Pirate Party. Next, it analyzes the linkage between citizen deliberation and the formation of the Icelandic Pirate Party by focusing on collective identity.

  The Icelandic citizen deliberation has often been taken as the most important case of “partyless” democracy. However, the case study reveals that the citizen deliberation contributed to the formation of the Icelandic Pirate Party. Based on the analysis’ results, this study concludes that citizen deliberations can be a driving force for party-centered democracy.