Alliance (Iceland)
Encyclopedia
The Social Democratic Alliance is a social-democratic
political party
in Iceland
. It is centre-left
in alignment and currently forms part of a coalition government
along with the Left-Green Movement
. It became the largest party in the Icelandic parliament after the 2009 Icelandic election
. The current Prime Minister of Iceland
, Jóhanna Sigurðardóttir
, is the leader of the Social Democratic Alliance.
The Social Democratic Alliance was born in the run-up to the parliamentary elections of 1999 as an alliance of the four left-wing parties that had existed in Iceland
up till then: the Social Democratic Party
(Alþýðuflokkurinn), the People's Alliance
(Alþýðubandalagið), the Womens's Alliance
(Samtök um kvennalista) and the National Movement (Þjóðvaki). The parties then formally merged in May 2000. The merger was a deliberate attempt to unify the entire Icelandic centre-left into one political party capable of countering the centre-right
Independence Party
. The initial attempt failed however as a group of Alþingi
representatives rejected the new party's platform – which was inspired by that of Tony Blair's
New Labour
– and broke away before the merger to found the Left-Green Movement
(Vinstrihreyfingin - grænt framboð), based on more traditional socialist
values as well as green politics
and Euroscepticism
.
The current chair of the party is Jóhanna Sigurðardóttir
, the Prime Minister of Iceland
. She won the election for chairperson at the party conference on 28 March 2009 with 98% of the vote. Dagur B. Eggertsson
, a member of the City Council and former mayor of Reykjavik, has been vice chair since same date; he received 65.6% of the vote.
Social democracy
Social democracy is a political ideology of the center-left on the political spectrum. Social democracy is officially a form of evolutionary reformist socialism. It supports class collaboration as the course to achieve socialism...
political party
Political party
A political party is a political organization that typically seeks to influence government policy, usually by nominating their own candidates and trying to seat them in political office. Parties participate in electoral campaigns, educational outreach or protest actions...
in Iceland
Iceland
Iceland , described as the Republic of Iceland, is a Nordic and European island country in the North Atlantic Ocean, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Iceland also refers to the main island of the country, which contains almost all the population and almost all the land area. The country has a population...
. It is centre-left
Centre-left
Centre-left is a political term that describes individuals, political parties or organisations such as think tanks whose ideology lies between the centre and the left on the left-right spectrum...
in alignment and currently forms part of a coalition government
Cabinet of Iceland
The Cabinet of Iceland is the chief executive body of the Republic of Iceland. It consists of the Prime Minister of Iceland and the cabinet ministers....
along with the Left-Green Movement
Left-Green Movement
The Left-Green Movement is a left-wing political party in Iceland.It was founded in 1999 by a few members of Alþingi who did not approve of the planned merger of the left parties in Iceland that resulted in the founding of the Social Democratic Alliance...
. It became the largest party in the Icelandic parliament after the 2009 Icelandic election
Icelandic parliamentary election, 2009
A parliamentary election was held in Iceland on 25 April 2009 following strong pressure from the public as a result of the Icelandic financial crisis...
. The current Prime Minister of Iceland
Prime Minister of Iceland
The Prime Minister of Iceland is Iceland's head of government. The prime minister is appointed formally by the President and exercises executive authority along with the cabinet subject to parliamentary support....
, Jóhanna Sigurðardóttir
Jóhanna Sigurðardóttir
Jóhanna Sigurðardóttir , , is the Prime Minister of Iceland. Many years a politician, she was previously Iceland's Minister of Social Affairs and Social Security from 1987–1994 and 2007–2009. She has been a member of the Althing for Reykjavík constituencies since 1978, winning re-election on eight...
, is the leader of the Social Democratic Alliance.
The Social Democratic Alliance was born in the run-up to the parliamentary elections of 1999 as an alliance of the four left-wing parties that had existed in Iceland
Iceland
Iceland , described as the Republic of Iceland, is a Nordic and European island country in the North Atlantic Ocean, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Iceland also refers to the main island of the country, which contains almost all the population and almost all the land area. The country has a population...
up till then: the Social Democratic Party
Social Democratic Party (Iceland)
The Social Democratic Party was an Icelandic Political Party based on social-democratic ideas. It was founded in 1916 as the political representation of the trade unions of Iceland....
(Alþýðuflokkurinn), the People's Alliance
People's Alliance (Iceland)
The People's Alliance was an electoral alliance in Iceland from 1956 to 1968 and a political party from 1968 to 1998.-History:In 1916 the Social Democratic Party was formed in Iceland. In 1930 a split surged, thus forming the Communist Party of Iceland , recognised as the Icelandic section of the...
(Alþýðubandalagið), the Womens's Alliance
Women's List
The Women's List was a feminist party in Iceland that took part in national politics from 1983 to 1998, gaining some seats in Alþingi. In 1998 it merged with two other political parties to form the Social Democratic Alliance, but many of its members refused to participate in that party and joined...
(Samtök um kvennalista) and the National Movement (Þjóðvaki). The parties then formally merged in May 2000. The merger was a deliberate attempt to unify the entire Icelandic centre-left into one political party capable of countering the centre-right
Centre-right
The centre-right or center-right is a political term commonly used to describe or denote individuals, political parties, or organizations whose views stretch from the centre to the right on the left-right spectrum, excluding far right stances. Centre-right can also describe a coalition of centrist...
Independence Party
Independence Party (Iceland)
The Independence Party is a centre-right political party in Iceland. Liberal conservative and Eurosceptic, it is the second-largest party in the Althing, with sixteen seats. The chairman of the party is Bjarni Benediktsson and vice chairman is Ólöf Nordal....
. The initial attempt failed however as a group of Alþingi
Althing
The Alþingi, anglicised variously as Althing or Althingi, is the national parliament of Iceland. The Althingi is the oldest parliamentary institution in the world still extant...
representatives rejected the new party's platform – which was inspired by that of Tony Blair's
Tony Blair
Anthony Charles Lynton Blair is a former British Labour Party politician who served as the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 2 May 1997 to 27 June 2007. He was the Member of Parliament for Sedgefield from 1983 to 2007 and Leader of the Labour Party from 1994 to 2007...
New Labour
Labour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
– and broke away before the merger to found the Left-Green Movement
Left-Green Movement
The Left-Green Movement is a left-wing political party in Iceland.It was founded in 1999 by a few members of Alþingi who did not approve of the planned merger of the left parties in Iceland that resulted in the founding of the Social Democratic Alliance...
(Vinstrihreyfingin - grænt framboð), based on more traditional socialist
Socialism
Socialism is an economic system characterized by social ownership of the means of production and cooperative management of the economy; or a political philosophy advocating such a system. "Social ownership" may refer to any one of, or a combination of, the following: cooperative enterprises,...
values as well as green politics
Green politics
Green politics is a political ideology that aims for the creation of an ecologically sustainable society rooted in environmentalism, social liberalism, and grassroots democracy...
and Euroscepticism
Euroscepticism
Euroscepticism is a general term used to describe criticism of the European Union , and opposition to the process of European integration, existing throughout the political spectrum. Traditionally, the main source of euroscepticism has been the notion that integration weakens the nation state...
.
The current chair of the party is Jóhanna Sigurðardóttir
Jóhanna Sigurðardóttir
Jóhanna Sigurðardóttir , , is the Prime Minister of Iceland. Many years a politician, she was previously Iceland's Minister of Social Affairs and Social Security from 1987–1994 and 2007–2009. She has been a member of the Althing for Reykjavík constituencies since 1978, winning re-election on eight...
, the Prime Minister of Iceland
Prime Minister of Iceland
The Prime Minister of Iceland is Iceland's head of government. The prime minister is appointed formally by the President and exercises executive authority along with the cabinet subject to parliamentary support....
. She won the election for chairperson at the party conference on 28 March 2009 with 98% of the vote. Dagur B. Eggertsson
Dagur B. Eggertsson
Dagur Bergþóruson Eggertsson M.D. is an Icelandic politician who became the mayor of Reykjavík in 2007. He is the current vice-chairman of the Social Democratic Party. He was first elected to the city council of Reykjavík in a 2002 election and became the mayor on October 16, 2007...
, a member of the City Council and former mayor of Reykjavik, has been vice chair since same date; he received 65.6% of the vote.
Electoral performance
| Election | Number of votes for Alliance | Share of votes | Seats | Outcome of election |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | 44,378 | 26.8% | 17 | Independence Independence Party (Iceland) The Independence Party is a centre-right political party in Iceland. Liberal conservative and Eurosceptic, it is the second-largest party in the Althing, with sixteen seats. The chairman of the party is Bjarni Benediktsson and vice chairman is Ólöf Nordal.... Victory |
| 2003 Icelandic parliamentary election, 2003 The 2003 Icelandic parliamentary election took place on 19 May 2003 to elect the members of the Althing of Iceland.-Background:For the previous 12 years Davíð Oddsson of the Independence Party had been Prime Minister of Iceland and since the 1995 election had ben ruling in coalition with the... |
56,700 | 31.0% | 20 | Independence Victory |
| 2007 Icelandic parliamentary election, 2007 The 2007 Icelandic general elections were held on 12 May 2007. In this election, the public elected 63 members of parliament using proportional representation from six constituencies to the Alþingi... |
48,742 | 26.8% | 18 | Independence Victory |
| 2009 Icelandic parliamentary election, 2009 A parliamentary election was held in Iceland on 25 April 2009 following strong pressure from the public as a result of the Icelandic financial crisis... |
55,758 | 29.8% | 20 | Alliance Victory |