The Iceland Experiment (2009-2013): a Participatory Approach to Constitutional Reform
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Keeping Political and Criminal Responsibility Separate
Declassified AS/Jur (2012) 28 declassified 25 September 2012 ajdoc28 2012 declassified Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights Keeping political and criminal responsibility separate Information memorandum on the case of Geir Haarde, former Prime ∗∗∗ Minister of Iceland Rapporteur: Pieter Omtzigt, Netherlands, Group of the European People’s Party 1. Introduction 1. As indicated in the Introductory Memorandum, 1 the case of former Icelandic Prime Minister Geir Haarde is arguably one of those cases from which lessons can be drawn for keeping political and criminal responsibility separate. 2. My fact-finding visit to Iceland from 6-9 May 2012 was very instructive, and I should like to reiterate my thanks to the Icelandic delegation for its hospitality and the efficient organisation of the visit. As indicated at the Committee meeting on 21 May 2012 in Paris, I should like to present my findings on the Icelandic case in the form of this information memorandum. I will begin by summing up the facts of this case (2.) and presenting the interpretation they have been given by the two sides of the dispute (3.), and conclude by offering my own assessment, in the light of the information and views provided by our legal experts, Professor Satzger from Munich and Professor Verheij from Leiden. 2. Summary of the facts of the case of former Prime Minister Geir Haarde 3. Iceland suffered a severe economic setback in 2008/2009 in the wake of the world-wide banking crisis triggered by the bankruptcy of Lehman Brothers in the United States. The situation in Iceland was worse than in other countries in that the Icelandic banks in crisis (Landsbanki, Kaupthing and Glitnir) were far larger, in proportion to the country’s GDP, than those elsewhere, 2 during the same world-wide financial crisis. -
Autumn 1997 of Proportional Representation for a Term of Four Years
The Economy of Iceland CENTRAL BANK OF ICELAND The Economy of Iceland October 1997 Published semi-annually by the International Department of the Central Bank of Iceland, 150 Reykjavík, Iceland ISSN 1024 - 0039 REPUBLIC OF ICELAND People Population.......................................269,735 (December 1, 1996) Capital.............................................Reykjavík, 105,487 (December 1, 1996) Language........................................Icelandic; belongs to the Nordic group of Germanic languages Religion...........................................Evangelical Lutheran (95%) Life expectancy...............................Females: 81 years , Males: 75 years Governmental System Government ....................................Constitutional republic Suffrage ..........................................Universal, over 18 years of age Legislature ......................................Alþingi (Althing); 63 members Election term...................................Four years Economy Monetary unit ..................................Króna (plural: krónur); currency code: ISK Gross domestic product..................487 billion krónur (US$ 7.3 billion) in 1996 International trade...........................Exports 36% and imports 36% of GDP in 1996 Per capita GDP...............................1,760 thousand krónur (US$ 26.900) in 1996 Land Geographic size..............................103,000 km2 (39,768 mi2) Highest point...................................2,119 m (6,952 ft) Exclusive economic zone ...............200 nautical miles (758,000 km2 -
Monetary Policy in Iceland During the Nineties
Monetary policy in Iceland during the nineties Már Gu∂⁄ mundsson and Yngvi Örn Kristinsson* Introduction Iceland is a small open economy with a natural resource based export sector. It has a population of 270,000 people and a GDP of around 1 US$ 7.3 billion (1996) or around 40% of that of Luxembourg and 2 ⁄2 times that of Malta,1 both small countries but with somewhat bigger populations than Iceland.2 Living standards are relatively high. GDP per capita in 1996 was US$ 25,400 at current PPPs, which was the fifth seat among OECD 1 countries. Exports of goods and services amount to just over ⁄3 of GDP. 3 More than ⁄4 of merchandise exports are fish products and an additional 15% are the products of two metal smelters using Iceland’s ample energy sources. More than 90% of merchandise exports and 65% of total exports are natural resource based, if agricultural products are included. External shocks and economic fluctuations have been bigger than in most OECD countries, with a relatively large asymmetric component. Inflation was, until recent years, much higher than in other OECD countries but unem- ployment lower. Exchange rate policy did play an important role in adjusting the economy to external shocks, with relatively good success on the real side of the economy but at the cost of high and variable inflation. A stability oriented policy has been pursued in recent years, with the important result that inflation has been below or at the level of that among trading partners since 1994. This paper is on monetary policy in Iceland during the 1990s. -
ESS9 Appendix A3 Political Parties Ed
APPENDIX A3 POLITICAL PARTIES, ESS9 - 2018 ed. 3.0 Austria 2 Belgium 4 Bulgaria 7 Croatia 8 Cyprus 10 Czechia 12 Denmark 14 Estonia 15 Finland 17 France 19 Germany 20 Hungary 21 Iceland 23 Ireland 25 Italy 26 Latvia 28 Lithuania 31 Montenegro 34 Netherlands 36 Norway 38 Poland 40 Portugal 44 Serbia 47 Slovakia 52 Slovenia 53 Spain 54 Sweden 57 Switzerland 58 United Kingdom 61 Version Notes, ESS9 Appendix A3 POLITICAL PARTIES ESS9 edition 3.0 (published 10.12.20): Changes from previous edition: Additional countries: Denmark, Iceland. ESS9 edition 2.0 (published 15.06.20): Changes from previous edition: Additional countries: Croatia, Latvia, Lithuania, Montenegro, Portugal, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden. Austria 1. Political parties Language used in data file: German Year of last election: 2017 Official party names, English 1. Sozialdemokratische Partei Österreichs (SPÖ) - Social Democratic Party of Austria - 26.9 % names/translation, and size in last 2. Österreichische Volkspartei (ÖVP) - Austrian People's Party - 31.5 % election: 3. Freiheitliche Partei Österreichs (FPÖ) - Freedom Party of Austria - 26.0 % 4. Liste Peter Pilz (PILZ) - PILZ - 4.4 % 5. Die Grünen – Die Grüne Alternative (Grüne) - The Greens – The Green Alternative - 3.8 % 6. Kommunistische Partei Österreichs (KPÖ) - Communist Party of Austria - 0.8 % 7. NEOS – Das Neue Österreich und Liberales Forum (NEOS) - NEOS – The New Austria and Liberal Forum - 5.3 % 8. G!LT - Verein zur Förderung der Offenen Demokratie (GILT) - My Vote Counts! - 1.0 % Description of political parties listed 1. The Social Democratic Party (Sozialdemokratische Partei Österreichs, or SPÖ) is a social above democratic/center-left political party that was founded in 1888 as the Social Democratic Worker's Party (Sozialdemokratische Arbeiterpartei, or SDAP), when Victor Adler managed to unite the various opposing factions. -
International Directory of Deposit Insurers
Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation International Directory of Deposit Insurers September 2015 A listing of addresses of deposit insurers, central banks and other entities involved in deposit insurance functions. Division of Insurance and Research Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Washington, DC 20429 The FDIC wants to acknowledge the cooperation of all the countries listed, without which the directory’s compilation would not have been possible. Please direct any comments or corrections to: Donna Vogel Division of Insurance and Research, FDIC by phone +1 703 254 0937 or by e-mail [email protected] FDIC INTERNATIONAL DIRECTORY OF DEPOSIT INSURERS ■ SEPTEMBER 2015 2 Table of Contents AFGHANISTAN ......................................................................................................................................6 ALBANIA ...............................................................................................................................................6 ALGERIA ................................................................................................................................................6 ARGENTINA ..........................................................................................................................................6 ARMENIA ..............................................................................................................................................7 AUSTRALIA ............................................................................................................................................7 -
The Rise and Fall of the Icelandic Constitutional Reform Movement: the Interaction Between Social Movements and Party Politics
157 The Rise and Fall of the Icelandic Constitutional Reform Movement: The Interaction Between Social Movements and Party Politics SHIOTA Jun * Abstract This article traces the rise and fall of the Icelandic constitutional reform movement, which emerged following the financial crisis of 2008. The movement grew out of the popular protest that arose in face of the crisis. We draw on the political process approach to examine how the movement declined despite some remarkable initial progress, such as the championing of a participatory drafting process. We find that the movement had serious challenges in terms of social control, collective attribution, movement network, and political opportunities. The movement faced tough setbacks partly derived from the traditional rural-capital dynamics in Icelandic politics. Moreover, the linkage with institutional actors was weak although ratification by parliament is necessary for the implementation of a new constitution. The populistic movement frame motivated the participants in the beginning, however this was later impeded by the anti-foreign debt protests. The 2013 election was the final straw because the left-wing government, which supported the movement, was replaced by a right-wing government which was hostile to the new constitution. In conclusion, the paper finds that recognizing the dynamic interrelation between social movements and institutional politics is important if we are to understand today’s social changes. Keywords:Iceland, Constitutional reform movement, Political process approach, Party politics, Financial crisis * Ph.D student in Graduate School of International Cooperation Studies, Kobe University. Journal of International Cooperation Studies, Vol.27, No.1(2019.7) P157-塩田.indd 157 2019/07/04 18:38:25 158 国 際 協 力 論 集 第 27 巻 第 1 号 Introduction The financial crisis which unfolded in 2008 and the following austerity politics triggered massive social mobilization in many European countries. -
List of Certain Foreign Institutions Classified As Official for Purposes of Reporting on the Treasury International Capital (TIC) Forms
NOT FOR PUBLICATION DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY JANUARY 2001 Revised Aug. 2002, May 2004, May 2005, May/July 2006, June 2007 List of Certain Foreign Institutions classified as Official for Purposes of Reporting on the Treasury International Capital (TIC) Forms The attached list of foreign institutions, which conform to the definition of foreign official institutions on the Treasury International Capital (TIC) Forms, supersedes all previous lists. The definition of foreign official institutions is: "FOREIGN OFFICIAL INSTITUTIONS (FOI) include the following: 1. Treasuries, including ministries of finance, or corresponding departments of national governments; central banks, including all departments thereof; stabilization funds, including official exchange control offices or other government exchange authorities; and diplomatic and consular establishments and other departments and agencies of national governments. 2. International and regional organizations. 3. Banks, corporations, or other agencies (including development banks and other institutions that are majority-owned by central governments) that are fiscal agents of national governments and perform activities similar to those of a treasury, central bank, stabilization fund, or exchange control authority." Although the attached list includes the major foreign official institutions which have come to the attention of the Federal Reserve Banks and the Department of the Treasury, it does not purport to be exhaustive. Whenever a question arises whether or not an institution should, in accordance with the instructions on the TIC forms, be classified as official, the Federal Reserve Bank with which you file reports should be consulted. It should be noted that the list does not in every case include all alternative names applying to the same institution. -
Small States and Big Banks – the Case of Iceland
31 Small states and big banks – the case of Iceland Hilmar Þór Hilmarsson1 Abstract The Icelandic economy was hit hard by the global economic and financial crisis that started in the fall of 2008. During this crisis the three largest banks all collapsed and many other smaller banks and companies went bankrupt in the aftermath of the crisis with severe consequences for the economy and the people. Prior to the crisis, Iceland, a high income economy, had experienced strong growth rates and unprecedented expansion in overseas investment and activities, especially in the financial sector. This article focuses on action by top government officials during this expansion as well as during and after the collapse of the Icelandic banks. The findings of the study are that the government showed negligence and made mistakes by not taking credible action to manage risks following a rapid cross border expansion of the Icelandic banking system. This had severe consequences and resulted in the collapse of the Icelandic economy in October 2008. The discussion can have a wider relevance than that for Iceland only. This is especially true for small countries with a large banking sector, using their own currency, and with limited fiscal space to support their banks during a crisis. Keywords: Economic and financial crisis, economic policy, international expansion of firms, risk management. JEL Classification: F21, G32, H12 1. Introduction The Icelandic economy was hit hard by the global economic and financial crisis that start- ed in the fall of 2008. During this crisis the three largest banks (Glitnir, Kaupthing, and Landsbanki)2 all collapsed and many other smaller banks and companies went bankrupt in the aftermath of the crisis with severe consequences for the economy and the people. -
Power, Communication, and Politics in the Nordic Countries
POWER, COMMUNICATION, AND POLITICS IN THE NORDIC COUNTRIES POWER, COMMUNICATION, POWER, COMMUNICATION, AND POLITICS IN THE NORDIC COUNTRIES The Nordic countries are stable democracies with solid infrastructures for political dia- logue and negotiations. However, both the “Nordic model” and Nordic media systems are under pressure as the conditions for political communication change – not least due to weakened political parties and the widespread use of digital communication media. In this anthology, the similarities and differences in political communication across the Nordic countries are studied. Traditional corporatist mechanisms in the Nordic countries are increasingly challenged by professionals, such as lobbyists, a development that has consequences for the processes and forms of political communication. Populist polit- ical parties have increased their media presence and political influence, whereas the news media have lost readers, viewers, listeners, and advertisers. These developments influence societal power relations and restructure the ways in which political actors • Edited by: Eli Skogerbø, Øyvind Ihlen, Nete Nørgaard Kristensen, & Lars Nord • Edited by: Eli Skogerbø, Øyvind Ihlen, Nete Nørgaard communicate about political issues. This book is a key reference for all who are interested in current trends and develop- ments in the Nordic countries. The editors, Eli Skogerbø, Øyvind Ihlen, Nete Nørgaard Kristensen, and Lars Nord, have published extensively on political communication, and the authors are all scholars based in the Nordic countries with specialist knowledge in their fields. Power, Communication, and Politics in the Nordic Nordicom is a centre for Nordic media research at the University of Gothenburg, Nordicomsupported is a bycentre the Nordic for CouncilNordic of mediaMinisters. research at the University of Gothenburg, supported by the Nordic Council of Ministers. -
The Icelandic Financial System
The Icelandic financial system Table 1 Gross assets of financial institutions In billions of krónur, at end of year ∂⁄ * Eiríkur Gu nason 1980 1985 1990 1993 1994 1995 Average annual growth in % 1. General structure of the financial system 1985–95 Commercial banks . 5.8 61.8 183.8 214.6 212.4 212.1 13.1 (i) The Icelandic financial system Savings banks . 0.7 7.0 32.8 50.1 45.7 52.1 22.3 Savings departments The financial markets in Iceland have been in rapid transition during the of coops. 0.1 0.7 2.0 2.0 2.2 2.3 12.5 Insurance companies . 0.9 7.0 23.3 38.3 41.6 44.5 20.3 last decade. A process of liberalisation and legislative reform has created Pension funds . 2.1 28.5 128.2 208.8 234.2 262.6 24.8 conditions in which market forces play an increasing role. The Basle stan- Investment credit funds 3.1 40.4 151.8 237.2 254.9 268.3 20.8 dard for rules on capital adequacy of commercial and savings banks was Leasing companies . .. 0.1 10.0 13.1 13.2 11.0 60.0 implemented at the beginning of 1993. In connection with the European Mutual funds 1 (open-end) . .. 0.4 13.6 12.5 17.0 14.8 43.5 Economic Area (EEA) Agreement, new legislation was enacted in 1993, Mutual funds including acts governing the operations of commercial and savings banks, (closed-end) . .. .. 1.5 1.7 2.4 4.3 78.6* other credit institutions, securities transactions, mutual funds and the Memorandum item: Iceland Stock Exchange. -
Tax Relief Country: Italy Security: Intesa Sanpaolo S.P.A
Important Notice The Depository Trust Company B #: 15497-21 Date: August 24, 2021 To: All Participants Category: Tax Relief, Distributions From: International Services Attention: Operations, Reorg & Dividend Managers, Partners & Cashiers Tax Relief Country: Italy Security: Intesa Sanpaolo S.p.A. CUSIPs: 46115HAU1 Subject: Record Date: 9/2/2021 Payable Date: 9/17/2021 CA Web Instruction Deadline: 9/16/2021 8:00 PM (E.T.) Participants can use DTC’s Corporate Actions Web (CA Web) service to certify all or a portion of their position entitled to the applicable withholding tax rate. Participants are urged to consult TaxInfo before certifying their instructions over CA Web. Important: Prior to certifying tax withholding instructions, participants are urged to read, understand and comply with the information in the Legal Conditions category found on TaxInfo over the CA Web. ***Please read this Important Notice fully to ensure that the self-certification document is sent to the agent by the indicated deadline*** Questions regarding this Important Notice may be directed to Acupay at +1 212-422-1222. Important Legal Information: The Depository Trust Company (“DTC”) does not represent or warrant the accuracy, adequacy, timeliness, completeness or fitness for any particular purpose of the information contained in this communication, which is based in part on information obtained from third parties and not independently verified by DTC and which is provided as is. The information contained in this communication is not intended to be a substitute for obtaining tax advice from an appropriate professional advisor. In providing this communication, DTC shall not be liable for (1) any loss resulting directly or indirectly from mistakes, errors, omissions, interruptions, delays or defects in such communication, unless caused directly by gross negligence or willful misconduct on the part of DTC, and (2) any special, consequential, exemplary, incidental or punitive damages. -
Digital Tools and the Derailment of Iceland's New Constitution
A Service of Leibniz-Informationszentrum econstor Wirtschaft Leibniz Information Centre Make Your Publications Visible. zbw for Economics Gylfason, Thorvaldur; Meuwese, Anne Working Paper Digital Tools and the Derailment of Iceland's New Constitution CESifo Working Paper, No. 5997 Provided in Cooperation with: Ifo Institute – Leibniz Institute for Economic Research at the University of Munich Suggested Citation: Gylfason, Thorvaldur; Meuwese, Anne (2016) : Digital Tools and the Derailment of Iceland's New Constitution, CESifo Working Paper, No. 5997, Center for Economic Studies and ifo Institute (CESifo), Munich This Version is available at: http://hdl.handle.net/10419/145032 Standard-Nutzungsbedingungen: Terms of use: Die Dokumente auf EconStor dürfen zu eigenen wissenschaftlichen Documents in EconStor may be saved and copied for your Zwecken und zum Privatgebrauch gespeichert und kopiert werden. personal and scholarly purposes. Sie dürfen die Dokumente nicht für öffentliche oder kommerzielle You are not to copy documents for public or commercial Zwecke vervielfältigen, öffentlich ausstellen, öffentlich zugänglich purposes, to exhibit the documents publicly, to make them machen, vertreiben oder anderweitig nutzen. publicly available on the internet, or to distribute or otherwise use the documents in public. Sofern die Verfasser die Dokumente unter Open-Content-Lizenzen (insbesondere CC-Lizenzen) zur Verfügung gestellt haben sollten, If the documents have been made available under an Open gelten abweichend von diesen Nutzungsbedingungen die in der dort Content Licence (especially Creative Commons Licences), you genannten Lizenz gewährten Nutzungsrechte. may exercise further usage rights as specified in the indicated licence. www.econstor.eu Digital Tools and the Derailment of Iceland’s New Constitution Thorvaldur Gylfason Anne Meuwese CESIFO WORKING PAPER NO.