By the People, For the People

Video published by the Catalan National Assembly at USA.

The Catalan National Assembly hosted a presentation by Eduard Peris titled By the People, For the People, a proposal for a Constitution for Catalonia, the next European state. Drafted by Constituïm, a group of judges, economists, engineers and other professionals, the text is the result of more than 18 months of consultation and deliberation, thousands of Catalan citizens proposals and the collaborative work of three originally independent constitutional projects, now under the umbrella of CONSTITUÏM.

This proposed Magna Carta was presented to the Parliament of Catalonia on May 11 and is meant to be a starting point for Catalonia’s final constitution. As a clear example of open democracy, this proposal foresees what an independent Catalonia will look like: a republic with a presidential system along the lines of the US or France. Its 149 articles cover all matters, from official languages to defense, and it is becoming the object of great academic and political interest in many different settings.

What will independent Catalonia’s constitution look like? Get to know the draft of this constitution firsthand, a text prepared by Catalan civil society during 16 months of deliberations. The proposal, designed for a new European state, facilitates broad citizen participation in the affairs of the state, ensures strict compliance with the Earth Charter and guarantees respect to human rights, making it the most innovative European constitution.