Cabinet of Iceland
Encyclopedia
The Cabinet of Iceland is the chief executive body of the Republic of Iceland. It consists of 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....
and the cabinet ministers.
The cabinet is appointed by the President
President of Iceland
The President of Iceland is Iceland's elected head of state. The president is elected to a four-year term by universal adult suffrage and has limited powers. The president is not the head of government; the Prime Minister of Iceland is the head of government. There have been five presidents since...
(Art. 15 of the Constitution
Constitution of Iceland
The Constitution of Iceland is the supreme law of Iceland. It is composed of 80 articles in seven sections, and within it the leadership arrangement of the country is determined and the human rights of its citizens are preserved. The current constitution was first instituted on June 17, 1944; since...
) after a general election to Althing
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...
; however, the appointment is usually negotiated by the leaders of the political parties, who decide among themselves after discussions which parties can form the cabinet and how its seats are to be distributed, under the condition that it has a majority support in Althing. Only when the party leaders are unable to reach a conclusion by themselves in a reasonable time does the president exercise this power and appoint the cabinet himself or herself. This has not happened since the republic was founded in 1944.
Current Cabinet
Following the electionsIcelandic 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...
for the Althing on 25 April 2009, the coalition parties of the sitting cabinet attained a majority of the seats. The party leaders then formed a new government that entered into office on 10 May 2009. It is the Second Government of Jóhanna Sigurðardóttir. It has 10 ministers, five from the Social Democratic Alliance (SDA), five from 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...
(LGM) :
- Prime MinisterPrime Minister of IcelandThe 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 SigurðardóttirJóhanna SigurðardóttirJóhanna 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...
(SDA) - Minister of Welfare: Guðbjartur HannessonGuðbjartur HannessonGuðbjartur Hannesson is an Icelandic politician, the current welfare minister. He is affiliated with the Social Democratic Alliance .- References :...
(SDA) - Minister of Industry, Energy and Tourism: Katrín Júlíusdóttir (SDA)
- Minister for Foreign Affairs: Össur SkarphéðinssonÖssur SkarphéðinssonÖssur Skarphéðinsson is an Icelandic politician who has been Minister for Foreign Affairs since February 2009.Össur matriculated from the Reykjavík Grammar School in 1973, and gained a BS in Biology from the University of Iceland in 1979, and a doctorate in physiology from the University of East...
(SDA) - Minister of Finance: Steingrímur J. SigfússonSteingrímur J. SigfússonSteingrímur Jóhann Sigfússon is an Icelandic politician and Iceland's Minister of Finance. He has been a member of the Althing since 1983 and is the founding chairman of the Left-Green Movement...
(LGM) - Minister of Fisheries and Agriculture: Jón BjarnasonJón BjarnasonJón Bjarnason is a member of parliament of the Althing, the Icelandic parliament. He is a member of the Left-Green Movement and is Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries.-External links:*...
(LGM) - Minister of Education, Science and Culture: Katrín JakobsdóttirKatrín JakobsdóttirKatrín Jakobsdóttir is an Icelandic politician and a member of the Althing for the Reykjavík North constituency since 2007. She is vice-chairman of the Left-Green Movement and Iceland's Minister of Education, Science and Culture.Katrín graduated from the University of Iceland in 1999 with a...
(LGM) - Minister for the Environment: Svandís SvavarsdóttirSvandís SvavarsdóttirSvandís Svavarsdóttir is a member of parliament of the Althing, the Icelandic parliament. She is a member of the Left-Green Movement.-External links:*...
(LGM) - Minister of Business Affairs: Árni Páll Árnason (SDA)
- Minister of the InteriorMinister of the Interior (Iceland)The Minister of the Interior is the head of the Icelandic Ministry of the Interior. The position has existed since 1 January 2011, when the Ministry of Justice and Human Rights and the Ministry of Transport, Communications and Local Government were merged...
: Ögmundur JónassonÖgmundur JónassonÖgmundur Jónasson is an Icelandic politician. He became Iceland's Minister of Health on 1 February 2009, but resigned on 30 September in connection with the Icesave dispute. He has been a member of the Althing since 1995.- References :...
(LGM)
First Government of Jóhanna Sigurðardóttir
Prime Minister Geir H. Haarde tendered the resignation of the Cabinet to the President of IcelandPresident of Iceland
The President of Iceland is Iceland's elected head of state. The president is elected to a four-year term by universal adult suffrage and has limited powers. The president is not the head of government; the Prime Minister of Iceland is the head of government. There have been five presidents since...
, Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson
Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson
Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson is the fifth and current President of Iceland. He has served as President since 1996; he was unopposed in 2000, re-elected for a third term in 2004, and re-elected unopposed for a fourth term in 2008. He is the longest-serving left-wing president in the history of...
, on 26 January 2009 following protests
2009 Icelandic financial crisis protests
The 2009-2011 Icelandic financial crisis protests, also referred to as the Kitchenware Revolution or Icelandic Revolution occurred in the wake of the Icelandic financial crisis. There had been sporadic protests since October 2008 against the Icelandic government's handling of the financial crisis...
on the government's handling of the financial crisis. The President requested that the outgoing government remain in office until a new government is formed. The Cabinet was formally appointed on 1 February:
- Prime MinisterPrime Minister of IcelandThe 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 SigurðardóttirJóhanna SigurðardóttirJóhanna 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...
(SDA) - Minister of Social Affairs and Social Security: Ásta Ragnheiður JóhannesdóttirÁsta Ragnheiður JóhannesdóttirAsta Ragnheiour Johannesdottir is an Icelandic politician and Speaker of Alþingi, Iceland's parliament. She was Iceland's Minister of Social Affairs and Social Security from 1 February 2009 – 14 May 2009. She has been a member of the Alþing since 1995.- References :...
(SDA) - Minister of Industry, Energy and Tourism and Minister for Foreign Affairs: Össur SkarphéðinssonÖssur SkarphéðinssonÖssur Skarphéðinsson is an Icelandic politician who has been Minister for Foreign Affairs since February 2009.Össur matriculated from the Reykjavík Grammar School in 1973, and gained a BS in Biology from the University of Iceland in 1979, and a doctorate in physiology from the University of East...
(SDA) - Minister of Communications: Kristján MöllerKristján MöllerKristján Lúðvík Möller is an Icelandic politician. He has been Iceland's Minister of Communications since 24 May 2007, and a member of the Althing since 1999, for the Northwest Iceland constituency and the Northeast Iceland constituency .- References :...
(SDA) - Minister of Finance, Fisheries and Agriculture: Steingrímur J. SigfússonSteingrímur J. SigfússonSteingrímur Jóhann Sigfússon is an Icelandic politician and Iceland's Minister of Finance. He has been a member of the Althing since 1983 and is the founding chairman of the Left-Green Movement...
(LGM) - Minister of Health: Ögmundur JónassonÖgmundur JónassonÖgmundur Jónasson is an Icelandic politician. He became Iceland's Minister of Health on 1 February 2009, but resigned on 30 September in connection with the Icesave dispute. He has been a member of the Althing since 1995.- References :...
(LGM) - Minister of Education, Science and Culture: Katrín JakobsdóttirKatrín JakobsdóttirKatrín Jakobsdóttir is an Icelandic politician and a member of the Althing for the Reykjavík North constituency since 2007. She is vice-chairman of the Left-Green Movement and Iceland's Minister of Education, Science and Culture.Katrín graduated from the University of Iceland in 1999 with a...
(LGM) - Minister for the Environment: Kolbrún HalldórsdóttirKolbrún HalldórsdóttirKolbrún Halldórsdóttir is an Icelandic politician with the Left-Green Movement. She has been a member of the Althing for Reykjavík constituencies since 1999. She is currently Minister for the Environment and Minister for Nordic Cooperation, having assumed office 1 February 2009.- External links :*...
(LGM) - Minister of Business Affairs: Gylfi MagnússonGylfi MagnússonGylfi Magnússon is an Icelandic economist, an associate professor at University of Iceland and former chair of the Icelandic Competition Authority . He was Minister for Economic Affairs in the coalition government of Jóhanna Sigurðardóttir...
(Independent) - Minister of Justice and Ecclesiastical Affairs: Ragna ÁrnadóttirRagna ÁrnadóttirRagna Árnadóttir is an Icelandic lawyer and former Minister of Justice and Ecclesiastical Affairs of Iceland . She previously served as the acting office manager of the Prime Minister's Office from 15 January 2009.- References :...
(Independent)
Second Haarde government
Following the general electionsIcelandic 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...
on 12 May 2007, the sitting coalition government consisting of the 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....
and the Progressive Party
Progressive Party (Iceland)
The Progressive Party is an agrarian, liberal and centrist party in Iceland. The party is a member of the Liberal International. Current chairman of the party is Sigmundur Davíð Gunnlaugsson. He was elected on January 18, 2009. His predecessor was Valgerður Sverrisdóttir, who only served as...
retained its majority in Icelandic parliament
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...
, although only with one seat more than the opposition parties.
On 17 May, the leaders of the coalition parties announced that the coalition would discontinue, due to the narrow majority it had. At the same occasion Prime Minister Geir H. Haarde, leader of the Independence Party, said that he would attempt to form a new government with the Social Democratic Alliance. On 22 May, the leaders of the new coalition parties presented the new government ministers, who were formally appointed on 24 May 2007:
- Minister of Business Affairs: Björgvin G. SigurðssonBjörgvin G. SigurðssonBjörgvin G. Sigurðsson is an Icelandic politician, representing the Social Democratic Alliance. He became Iceland's first Minister of Business Affairs when the new ministry was split off from the Ministry of Industry and Commerce on 24 May 2007...
(SDA)- tendered resignation on 25 January 2009
- Minister of Communications: Kristján MöllerKristján MöllerKristján Lúðvík Möller is an Icelandic politician. He has been Iceland's Minister of Communications since 24 May 2007, and a member of the Althing since 1999, for the Northwest Iceland constituency and the Northeast Iceland constituency .- References :...
(SDA) - Minister of Education, Science and Culture: Þorgerður Katrín GunnarsdóttirÞorgerður Katrín GunnarsdóttirÞorgerður Katrín Gunnarsdóttir is an Icelandic politician and former vice-chairman of the Independence Party 2005–2010. She was the Minister of Education, Science and Culture from 31 December 2003 to 1 February 2009 and has been a member of the Althing since 1999...
(IP) - Minister for the Environment: Þórunn SveinbjarnardóttirÞórunn SveinbjarnardóttirÞórunn Sveinbjarnardóttir is an Icelandic politician. A graduate of the University of Iceland and the Bologna Center of the Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies, she was Iceland's Minister for the Environment from 24 May 2007 to 2009...
(SDA) - Minister of Finance: Árni MathiesenÁrni MathiesenÁrni M. Mathiesen is an Icelandic politician. From September 2005 through 31 January 2009, he was Minister of Finance in Iceland. From 1999–2005 he was Minister of Fisheries...
(IP) - Minister of Fisheries and Agriculture: Einar Kristinn GuðfinnssonEinar Kristinn GuðfinnssonEinar Kristinn Guðfinnsson is an Icelandic politician. He has been Iceland's Minister of Fisheries since September 2005, and became Minister of Fisheries and Agriculture when the two ministries merged on 1 January 2008...
(IP) - Minister for Foreign Affairs: Ingibjörg Sólrún GísladóttirIngibjörg Sólrún GísladóttirIngibjörg Sólrún Gísladóttir is an Icelandic politician from the Social Democratic Alliance, formerly Minister for Foreign Affairs 2007–2009 and leader of the Alliance 2005–2009.-Education:...
(SDA) - Minister of Health: Guðlaugur Þór ÞórðarsonGuðlaugur Þór ÞórðarsonGuðlaugur Þór Þórðarson is an Icelandic politician. He has been a member of the Althing for the Independence Party since 2003 and served as the Minister of Health from 24 May 2007 to 1 February 2009...
(IP) - Minister of Industry, Energy and Tourism: Össur SkarphéðinssonÖssur SkarphéðinssonÖssur Skarphéðinsson is an Icelandic politician who has been Minister for Foreign Affairs since February 2009.Össur matriculated from the Reykjavík Grammar School in 1973, and gained a BS in Biology from the University of Iceland in 1979, and a doctorate in physiology from the University of East...
(SDA) - Minister of Justice and Ecclesiastical Affairs: Björn BjarnasonBjörn BjarnasonBjörn Bjarnason is an Icelandic politician. His father was Bjarni Benediktsson, Prime Minister of Iceland, Minister of Justice and Ecclesiastical Affairs and Mayor of Reykjavík....
(IP) - Minister of Social Affairs and Social Security: Jóhanna SigurðardóttirJóhanna SigurðardóttirJóhanna 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...
(SDA)
First Haarde government
The first Haarde government started its term on 15 June 2006 and lasted till 23 May 2007. It was a coalition between the Independence PartyIndependence 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....
and Progressive Party
Progressive Party (Iceland)
The Progressive Party is an agrarian, liberal and centrist party in Iceland. The party is a member of the Liberal International. Current chairman of the party is Sigmundur Davíð Gunnlaugsson. He was elected on January 18, 2009. His predecessor was Valgerður Sverrisdóttir, who only served as...
.
From the Independence Party:
- Prime Minister: Geir H. Haarde
- Minister of Finance: Árni MathiesenÁrni MathiesenÁrni M. Mathiesen is an Icelandic politician. From September 2005 through 31 January 2009, he was Minister of Finance in Iceland. From 1999–2005 he was Minister of Fisheries...
- Minister of Education, Culture and R&D: Þorgerður Katrín GunnarsdóttirÞorgerður Katrín GunnarsdóttirÞorgerður Katrín Gunnarsdóttir is an Icelandic politician and former vice-chairman of the Independence Party 2005–2010. She was the Minister of Education, Science and Culture from 31 December 2003 to 1 February 2009 and has been a member of the Althing since 1999...
- Minister of Justice and Ecclesiastical Affairs: Björn BjarnasonBjörn BjarnasonBjörn Bjarnason is an Icelandic politician. His father was Bjarni Benediktsson, Prime Minister of Iceland, Minister of Justice and Ecclesiastical Affairs and Mayor of Reykjavík....
- Minister of Fisheries: Einar Kristinn GuðfinnssonEinar Kristinn GuðfinnssonEinar Kristinn Guðfinnsson is an Icelandic politician. He has been Iceland's Minister of Fisheries since September 2005, and became Minister of Fisheries and Agriculture when the two ministries merged on 1 January 2008...
- Minister of Communication and Transportation: Sturla BöðvarssonSturla BöðvarssonSturla Böðvarsson is an Icelandic politician who has been President of the Althing since 2007. He is a member of the Independence Party and has been a member of the Althing since 1991, from the Western Constituency from 1991 to 2003 and from the North West Constituency since 2003. From 1999 to...
From the Progressive Party:
- Minister for Foreign Affairs: Valgerður SverrisdóttirValgerður SverrisdóttirValgerður Sverrisdóttir is an Icelandic politician. She has been member of the Althing for the Progressive Party for the Northeast constituency since 1987 and was Chairman of the Progressive Party parliamentary group from 1995 to 1999, Minister of Industry and Commerce from 1999 to 2006, and...
- Minister of Agriculture: Guðni ÁgústssonGuðni ÁgústssonGuðni Ágústsson is a former Icelandic politician who was Chairman of the Progressive Party from 2007 until 17 November 2008, when he unexpectedly resigned, both as chairman of his party and as MP. He was a member of the Althing 1987 – 2008, for the Southern Constituency from 1987 to 2003 and for...
- Minister of Health: Siv FriðleifsdóttirSiv FriðleifsdóttirBjörg Siv Juhlin Friðleifsdóttir is an Icelandic politician. She was a member of the Althing for the Progressive Party for the Rekyanes constituency from 1995 to 2003 and has represented the Southwest Iceland constituency since 2003...
- Minister of Social Affairs: Magnús StefánssonMagnús StefánssonMagnús Stefánsson is an Icelandic politician. He has been member of the Althing for the Progressive Party for the West Iceland constituency and for the Northwest Iceland constituency since 2003...
- Minister of the Environment: Jónína Bjartmarz
- Minister of Trade and Industry: Jón SigurðssonJón Sigurðsson (minister)Jón Sigurðsson is an Icelandic politician. He was brought in as Minister of Industry and Commerce for the Progressive Party when Halldór Ásgrímsson abandoned politics. He was later elected party chairman from 2006 to 2007 but resigned after he failed to win a seat in the Althing...