Cardano is undergoing a significant change towards a more democratic and efficient way of managing the network. This December, the community aims to finalize and implement a permanent Cardano Constitution, outlining the governance rules.
To ensure a smooth transition, an interim Constitutional Committee (ICC) has been established. This committee, with seven members serving one-year terms, will oversee the upgrade process leading to the permanent constitution.
Currently, four entities – IOG (Input Output Global), the Cardano Foundation, EMURGO, and Intersect – have representatives on the committee. The final three members that will sit on the committee were chosen after a ten-day voting period, and were finally announced on Thursday.
Based on the results, the Cardano Atlantic Council gathered the highest percentage of the votes, securing the fifth seat of the ICC. The Cardano Atlantic Council consists of six individuals who serve as independent representatives of the Cardano community. These members do not hold official positions within any company, organization, or regional community within Cardano. The Council’s members are located in four countries: the United States, Norway, Canada, and Brazil. The team has made several contributions to the Cardano blockchain and ecosystem, such as: Node operations across all Cardano Testnets, the building of the Cardano Mercury payment system that uses Cardano native assets, the creation of The Cardano Effect and Cardano Live podcasts, interviewing engineers, operators, and project founders, among others.
In their application, the Cardano Atlantic Council underlines the importance of a decentralized governance, given that it empowers stakeholders by giving them a direct voice in shaping the network's future. This approach promotes transparency and reduces information asymmetry compared to traditional systems. By recording transactions and voting on a public ledger, Cardano minimizes the risk of manipulation by centralized entities. In short, it fosters a more democratic and transparent ecosystem.
Based on the voting results, Cardano Japan secured the sixth seat on the ICC. The candidates make up a consortium and they are all residents of Japan. All of them are Cardano Ambassadors and Intersect members. In their application, Cardano Japan expressed that their multifaceted contributions have significantly impacted the Cardano blockchain, ecosystem, and community. As ambassadors and Stake Pool Operators (SPOs), they have actively participated in network operations and outreach efforts. Their involvement in Project Catalyst extends to both proposing and reviewing innovative projects, fostering development within the ecosystem.
Cardano Japan also enriched the community by developing open-source smart contracts. Relatedly, they manage the Japan Cardano Community Chat across various platforms, creating a thriving hub for Japanese enthusiasts and users. Notably, they've made significant contributions to Cardano's governance model by hosting CIP1694 workshops and participating in discussions on the constitution. Their active participation extends to the Eastern Hemisphere Town Hall and the Sancho Testnet as DReps. With this diverse experience and deep involvement, they have demonstrably contributed to the success of Cardano.
Lastly, the Eastern Cardano Council secured the seventh and final seat on the ICC. Also a consortium, the Council is made up of six members from the following countries: New Zealand, Australia, South Korea, Vietnam, and Japan. The Eastern Cardano Council comprises a diverse group with a long history of contributions to the Cardano ecosystem. These contributions span various roles, including Cardano Ambassadors, Stake Pool Operators (SPOs), project developers, Catalyst participants, Intersect working group members, event organizers, and more. This broad range of expertise strengthens the Eastern Cardano Council.
Council members can also bridge the language gap for the non-English speaking community in Japanese, Korean, and Vietnamese, further fostering transparency and legitimacy for the Committee's decisions, ensuring broader community understanding of decentralized governance. The Council also possesses a combination of civics experience, blockchain governance research, and computer science/technical knowledge, which allows them to interpret technical governance actions within the context of the Constitution. Their familiarity with interacting with on-chain governance tools, including experience on the Sancho testnet, further ensures smooth and secure handling of on-chain governance activities.
In the event that these three candidates decline to sit on the ICC, the confirmed alternates can take their place. Mauro Agustín Andreoli from Argentina placed fourth, while Scientific Analytical Tools LLC of the United Arab Emirates came in fifth and Joshua Stone of the United States placed sixth.
Next Step: Constitutional Workshops
The Cardano Constitution is nearing completion, and the project is entering a crucial phase that relies on the Cardano community's input. A series of global workshops will be held in August to gather feedback from users across the world. This feedback will be incorporated into the proposed Constitution before it reaches the next stage.
Following the workshops, a Constitutional Convention will be held later this year. Representatives chosen through the workshop process (Constitutional Delegates) will have the opportunity to review and potentially approve the final document. If successful at the convention, the Constitution will then be put to a vote on the Cardano blockchain itself. A successful vote on the blockchain will mark a significant step forward for Cardano's governance framework, permanently replacing the current Interim Constitution with the community-refined document.
To facilitate this process and ensure a diverse range of perspectives are captured, two key entities will play important roles: the Cardano Civics Committee and Intersect. The Civics Committee will contribute by reviewing the draft Constitution and defining the process for selecting delegates through the workshops. Intersect, meanwhile, will work closely with Cardano community members to encourage participation. They will offer support during the consultation process by helping communities host workshops and even provide grants to incentivize participation.
The consultation period for these workshops will run between August 1st and October 15th, 2024. By facilitating these workshops and encouraging broad community participation, the goal is to ensure the final Cardano Constitution reflects the needs and voices of its global user base.