23 
the representatives of both countries agreeing to a draft of a Danish- 
Icelandic Act of Union, which, having been passed by the Parliaments 
of both countries, received the royal assent on Nov. 30th 1918. This 
act is the basis of the union between Denmark and Iceland. After the 
act of union had been approved, the necessary changes were made in 
the constitution of Iceland. The new constitution was signed by the 
king on May 18th 1920 as the constitutional law of the Kingdom of 
Iceland. 
II. INTERNATIONAL STATUS 
Even though the act of union is called a law and passed by the 
legislatures of both countries, it is in reality an interstate treaty be- 
tween Iceland and Denmark. The first clause declares that Denmark 
and Iceland are free and sovereign States united by a common king 
and by the agreement embodied in this act. The union is therefore of 
two kinds: a personal union, which is not based on, but is the basis 
of, the act of union, and the union based on the agreement contained 
in this act. Though the personal union is thus seen not to rest on 
the act, the act contains several provisions which are intended to safe- 
guard this union. Thus it lays down that the order of succession to the 
throne shall be arranged according to the provisions contained in 
§§ 1 and 2 of the (Danish) Act of Settlement of July 31st 1853, and 
that this cannot be altered without the express consent of both States. 
The statutory provisions that were in force in Denmark on the 30th 
of Nov. 1918 regarding the king's religion, his majority, as well as 
those concerning the exercise of the royal power during the king's 
illness, his minority, or his sojourn abroad, shall also be valid for 
Iceland. The king cannot become the sovereign of another State 
without the consent of the Danish Rigsdag and the Icelandic Althingi. 
Each State frames for itself the rules according to which payments are 
to be made from their respective treasuries to the Civil List. The 
names of both States shall appear in the king's title. 
Further there are provisions in the act referring to the rights of the 
subjects of one state in the other, and clauses enumerating such 
Icelandic affairs as Denmark is to deal with on Iceland’s behalf. There 
are provisions intended to safeguard the union, and, finally, there are 
rules according to which the act may be abrogated. 
As to the first of these points, the act of union lays down that 
Danish subjects in Iceland shall enjoy in every respect equal rights