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Constitution for Palestine when and how?!

The constitution is the cornerstone of a state building, not only a piece of paper. This idea was conveyed by Francoise Dreyfus, Professor for Political Science at the University of Paris 1- Sorbonne, during her lecture at the Institute of Law (IoL) at Birzeit University, as part of a series of legal encounters which the IoL is holding on a regular basis with the support of the Konrad- Adenauer- Stiftung.

Professor Dreyfus expressed her conviction that the political situation in Palestine will change after the state reaches its independence. This will be followed by a new historical episode, which will result in changes in the constitutional procedures and decisions. A good constitution aims to be long-lasting and to create or to maintain a sustainable constitutional legal framework, so as to protect the sovereignty and the unity of the state.

The main indicator for a sustainable constitution is the way the constitution organizes the relation between the majorities and the minorities in the society, taking into considerations the political coalition changes between the political parties, which might result in changing what was known as a minority yesterday, to a majority today and visa versa.

Furthermore Professor Dreyfus talked about the procedures to implement the constitution, either through certifying it through the high constitutional committee, or through a referendum in order to address the expectations of the citizens concerning the constitution.

She also highlighted the importance of selecting a political system that reflects the society’s needs and the ability to deal with challenges the state faces, and fulfills the people’s hope of good leadership.