Iraq Constitution-Making: What Happens Now?
Iraq Working Group
An Iraqi woman walks next to posters promoting women's rights in the new constitution, in the southern city of Basra, Iraq Monday, Aug. 22, 2005. With a midnight deadline just hours away, Iraq's political factions met in search of compromise on the issues holding up a draft constitution. (AP Photo/Nabil Al-Jurani)
Date
Tuesday, August 23, 2005
2:00 PM–4:00 PM
Location
U.S. Institute of Peace
1200 17th St., NW
Washington, D.C.
Directions
Following the January elections, many in the Iraqi and international communities had high hopes for the constitution-making process.
It presented an opportunity to bring Sunni Arabs back to the political table; an opportunity for Iraqi communities to express their ambitions and desires; and an opportunity to consolidate, permanently, the democratic revolution that Iraq is undergoing in the midst of violence. It also presented an opportunity for the UN to re-engage in Iraq. After intense negotiations that forced a week's delay, the permanent constitution is due to be completed on August 22, 2005.
- What does the constitution-making process tell us about the chances for stability and democracy in Iraq?
- What are the next steps in the process?
- Will any constitution be a real social compact, or an elite bargain?
- What are the prospects for a constitution to be implemented?
- Can Kurdish and Shia regionalism be reconciled with Iraqi nationalism and national interests? Can Iraqi women, secularist and members of Iraq's many ethnic and religious minorities find a place in the new Iraq?
- How have Iraqi politics been changed through the process? What new leaders have emerged?
- How well has the international community supported the process?
- What does the process tell us about emerging Iraqi identities?
- How important is a constitution anyway?
Speakers
- Rend Francke, The Iraq Foundation
- Neil Kritz, U.S. Institute of Peace
- Jonathan Morrow, Participating by phone from Baghdad, U.S. Institute of Peace
- Paul Williams, American University
- Daniel Serwer, Vice President and Director, Peace and Stability Operations
U.S. Institute of Peace, Moderator
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