politics of iceland

Iceland is a republic. The president, elected to a 4-year term, has limited powers. The prime minister and cabinet exercise most executive functions. The Althing is composed of 63 members, elected every 4 years unless it is dissolved sooner. Suffrage for presidential and parliamentary elections is 18 years of age and is universal. Members of the Althing are elected on the basis of proportional representation from six constituencies. Until 1991, membership of the Althing was divided between a lower and upper house but this was changed to a fully unicameral system. The judiciary consists of the Supreme Court and district courts. The constitution protects the judiciary from infringement by the other two branches. In nationwide town council elections in 1994, government coalition partners, the conservative Independence Party (IP), and the Social Democratic Party (SDP) lost support throughout the country, including the capital Reykjavik, which the IP had controlled for more than a half-century. In losing four seats in the April 1995 parliamentary elections, the IP and SDP mustered a simple majority in the 63-seat Althing. However, Prime Minister and IP leader Davíð Oddsson chose the resurgent Progressive Party as a more conservative partner to form a stronger and more stable majority with 40 seats. Splintered by factionalism over the economy and Iceland's role in the European Union (EU), the SDP also suffered from being the only party to support Iceland's EU membership application. After four 4-year terms as the world's first and only elected woman president, the widely popular Vigds Finnbogadttir chose not to run for re-election in 1996. More than 86% of voters turned out in the June 29, 1996 presidential elections to give former leftist party chairman lafur Ragnar Grmsson a 41% plurality and relatively comfortable 12% victory margin over the closest of three other candidates. Traditionally limited to 6-12 weeks, Iceland's campaign season was marked by several intensely personal attacks on Grmsson, a former finance minister who tried to erase memories of his controversial support of inflationary policies and opposition to the U.S. military presence at the NATO base in Keflavk. Grmsson successfully has used his largely ceremonial office to promote Icelandic trade abroad and family values at home. The last parliamentary elections took place May 10, 2003. The ruling coalition parties, the Independence Party and the Progressive Party lost four seats in Alingi but nevertheless still hold a slim majority in parliament. The results of the 2003 election were as follows (changes in seat distribution indicated in brackets):

Independence Party 33.68% 22 seats (-4)
Alliance 30.95% 20 seats (+3)
Progressive Party 17.73% 12 seats (0)
Left-Green Movement 8.81% 5 seats (-1)
Liberal Party 7.38% 4 seats (+2)

The opposition gained 4 seats in the elections but the government parties still hold 34 seats, a 5 seat majority, in the 63 seat Alingi. A total of 185.392 votes were cast constituting 87.7% of the electorate. The President of Alingi is selected by the representatives and currently the office rests with Halldr Blndal (Independence Party). The next parlimentary elections are scheduled in May 2007.

CIA factbook

Country name:

conventional long form:

Republic of Iceland

conventional short form:

Iceland

local long form:

Lveldi sland

local short form:

sland

Data code:

Government type:

constitutional republic (Lveldi)

National holiday:

Anniversary of the Establishment of the Republic, 17 June (1944) Note that this day is also the birthday of Jn Sigursson, leader of the 19th-century Icelandic independence movement.

Constitution:

16 June 1944, effective 17 June 1944

Legal system:

civil law system based on Danish law; does not accept compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage:

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:

chief of state:

President lafur Ragnar Grmsson (since 1 August 1996). See also: List of Presidents of Iceland

head of government:

Prime Minister Halldr sgrmsson (since 15 September 2004). See also: List of Prime Ministers of Iceland

cabinet:

Cabinet appointed by the president

elections:

president elected by popular vote for a four-year term; election last held June 2004 (next to be held by June 2008); prime minister appointed by the president

election results:

lafur Ragnar Grmsson elected president; percent of vote - 85.6%

Legislative branch:

unicameral Parliament or Alingi (63 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)

Political parties and leaders:

See: List of political parties in Iceland Sjlfstdisflokkurinn (Independence Party, conservative/centrist) ODDSSON; Samfylkingin (Social Democratic Alliance, social democratic) SKARPHINSSON; Vinstri hreyfingin - grnt frambod (Left-Green Movement, left socialist) J. SIGFSSON; Frjlslyndi flokkurinn (Liberal Party, centrist) Arnar KRISTJNSSON; Framsknarflokkurinn (Progressive Party, liberal) SGRMSSON;

Judicial branch

Supreme Court or Hstirttur, justices are appointed for life by the president

International organization participation:

Australia Group, BIS, CBSS, CCC, CE, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, EFTA, FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA (observer), IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, International Maritime Organization, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, NATO, NC, NEA, NIB, OECD, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNU, UPU, WEU (associate), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO

Flag description:

blue with a red cross outlined in white that extends to the edges of the flag; the vertical part of the cross is shifted to the hoist side in the style of the Dannebrog (Danish flag)

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