stjórnskipun

Stjórnskipun, or constitutional government, is the framework by which political power is organized and exercised under a constitution that limits state authority and protects fundamental rights. It combines legal norms, institutions, and practices designed to ensure the government acts within the rule of law rather than arbitrarily.

Core elements include a written constitution or other supreme legal authority, separation of powers among the legislative, executive, and judiciary, constitutional checks and balances, and a system of rights and due process. A constitutional order also emphasizes the accountability of leaders and government institutions to the people and to legal standards.

In practice, stjórnskipun extends beyond a single document to how institutions operate, how laws are made, and how officials are held to account. It relies on judicial independence and transparent governance, as well as mechanisms that constrain and legitimate political power.

Icelandic context: Iceland’s modern constitutional framework centers on the 1944 Constitution, which established the republic and the main institutional structure: the Althingi (parliament) as legislature, the president as largely ceremonial head of state, and the government as the executive. The constitution also guarantees fundamental rights, and amendments require formal approval by elected representatives and may involve referenda. In general, stjórnskipun in Iceland, as elsewhere, enshrines the rule of law and the balance between liberty, governance, and accountability.