Independence Party (Iceland)
Independence Party Sjálfstæðisflokkurinn | |
---|---|
Chairperson | Bjarni Benediktsson |
Vice-chairperson | Þórdís Kolbrún R. Gylfadóttir |
Secretary | Vilhjálmur Árnason |
Parliamentary group chairperson | Hildur Sverrisdóttir |
Chief Executive | Þórður Þórarinsson |
Founder | Jón Þorláksson Sigurður Eggerz |
Founded | 25 May 1929 |
Merger of | Conservative Party Liberal Party |
Headquarters | Háaleitisbraut 1, 105Reykjavík |
Youth wing | Young Independents |
Ideology | |
Political position | Centre-right[5][6][7] |
European affiliation | European People's Party(associate member) |
International affiliation | International Democracy Union |
Nordic affiliation | Conservative Group |
Colours | Blue |
Seats inParliament | 17 / 63 |
Election symbol | |
Website | |
xd | |
TheIndependence Party(Icelandic:Sjálfstæðisflokkurinn) is aconservativepolitical party in Iceland.It is currently the largest party in theAlþingi,with 17 seats. The chairman of the party isBjarni Benediktssonand the vice chairman of the party isÞórdís Kolbrún R. Gylfadóttir.
It was formed in 1929 through a merger of theConservative Partyand theLiberal Party.[8]This united the two parties advocating the dissolution of theUnion of Denmark and Iceland;dissolution was achieved in 1944, during the German occupation of Denmark. Since its formation in 1929, the party has won the largest share of the vote in every election except the2009 election,when it fell behind theSocial Democratic Alliance.Every Independence Party leader has also at some point held the office ofPrime Minister.Since 2013, there have been three different coalition governments in Iceland, all of which have included the Independence Party.
On fiscal issues, the Independence Party iseconomically liberal,[2]favouringprivatisation,[9]and opposed tointerventionism.Positioned ideologically on thecentre-right[5][6][7]of thepolitical spectrum,[10][11]the party is most strongly supported by fishermen and high-income earners.[12]A longstanding member of theInternational Democracy Union,in September 2023 the party obtained associate member status in theEuropean People's Party.
History[edit]
Established on 25 May 1929, the Independence Party was founded through a merger of theConservative Party(1924) and theLiberal Party(1925).[13]It readopted the name of the historicalIndependence Party,which had split between the Conservatives and Liberals in 1927.[14]The fusion of the Icelandic conservative and liberal parties resulted in the ascension of the Independence Party to prominence, firmly establishing it as the primary non-socialist force in Scandinavian politics.[8]From its first election,in 1931,it was the largest party in Iceland.[15]
The Independence Party won the2007 elections,increasing their seat tally in the Althing by 3. It formed anew coalition governmentunderGeir Haardewith theSocial Democratic Alliance,after theProgressive Partylost heavily in the elections. In the 2009 elections, the party dropped from 25–26 to 16 seats in theAlthing,becoming Iceland's second-largest party following the Social Democratic Alliance (which gained two seats, to 20.)
The Independence Party re-entered government after the general elections in 2013, gaining 19 seats in parliament and the most votes again becoming Iceland's largest party. The Independence Party hence formed a majority government with the Progressive Party with Bjarni becoming Minister of Finance and Economic Affairs under the premiership ofSigmundur Davíð Gunnlaugssonchairman of the Progressive Party. The government coalition was ended after thePanama Papersrevealed that Sigmundur Davíð Gunnlaugsson, Bjarni Benediktsson and other known members of the Independence Party held funds in offshore bank accounts. The general election in 2016 yielded a government consisting of the Independence Party,Bright Futureand theReform Party.With the Independence Party holding 21 seats in Parliament. That government then proceeded to fall apart due to Bjarni Benediktsson's father's ties to a convicted child sex offender that had his criminal records cleared by the Minister of the interior, an Independence Party MP. After the general elections 2017, called after much backlash from this decision, the Independence party formed a new government with theLeft-Green Movementand the Progressive Party. The Independence Party had 17 seats in Parliament.[16]
After the 2021 parliamentaryelection,the new government was, just like the previous government, a tri-party coalition of the Independence Party, the Progressive Party and the Left-Green Movement, headed by Prime MinisterKatrín Jakobsdóttirof Left-Green Movement.[17]
Ideology and platform[edit]
The Independence Party has been described asconservative,[1]liberal-conservative,[3][4]andconservative-liberal.[18][19][20]
The party has been the sole major politically right-leaning party in Iceland since its inception, and has captured a broad cross-section of centre-right voters. As a result, the party is not as far to the right as most right-wing parties in otherNordic countries,serving as a 'catch-all' party.[21]The party, like the British Conservatives, states a claim to be primarily 'pragmatic', as opposed to ideological,[12][22][23]and its name is seen as an allusion to being independent of dogma (with the original meaning, promoting independence from Denmark, having been achieved long ago).[24]For most of its period of political dominance, the party has relied upon coalition government, and has made coalitions with many major parties in parliament.[25]
The Independence Party has generally beeneconomically liberaland advocated limited government intervention in the economy.[12]It was originally committed tolaissez-faireeconomics, but shifted its economic policies leftwards in the 1930s, accepting the creation of awelfare state.[22]
The party is liberal concerning social issues and has historically been less conservative than other centre-right parties in Scandinavia.[22]The party was the only consistent advocate for the end ofprohibitionof beer,and provided three-quarters of voters in favour of legalisation; the ban was lifted in 1989.[26]
Organisation and support[edit]
Iceland portal |
Historically, the party has been the most successfulliberal conservativeparty in theNordic countries.[21]It has a broad base of support, but is most strongly supported by Iceland's large fishing community and by businesses.[12]The Independence Party support is mostly found in theSouthandSouthwest.[citation needed]
The Independence Party has always attempted to avoid appealing to a specific social class.[27]As such, the party is relatively successful at attracting working-class voters,[25]which partly comes from the party's strong advocacy of independence in the 1930s.[28]However, most of its strength is in the middle class,[26][29]and the party is disproportionately supported by those on high incomes and those with university educations.[12]
The party has long been endorsed byMorgunblaðið,[26]an Icelandicnewspaper of record.[30]Davíð Oddsson,Iceland's longest-servingPrime Ministerand former leader of the Independence Party, is one of two editors of the paper. The party was also historically supported by the afternoon newspaperVísir,now part ofDV.[22]
The party has a tradition of individualism and strong personalities, which has proven difficult for the leadership to manage.[31]TheCommonwealth Partysplit in 1941, while theRepublican Partyleft in 1953, both in opposition to the leftwards shift of the party away fromclassical liberalism.[22]Neither splinter group managed to get seats in Althingi and both vanished quickly. TheCitizens' Partysplit from the party in 1983, but collapsed in 1994.[23]
Itsyouth wing,Young Independents,is by far the largest youth organisation in Iceland, with over 12,000 members. It is slightly more classically liberal than the senior party.[32]
The party has a very large membership base, with 15% of the total population being a member of the party.[33]
International relations[edit]
For years the Independence party has been a member of theInternational Democracy Union,which includes members such as theConservative Party(Norway),Moderate Party(Sweden),The Republicans(France), theNational Coalition Party(Finland), and theChristian Democratic Union(Germany). In 2011, the party joined theEuropean Conservatives and Reformists Party,a centre-right Eurosceptic political organisation, but withdrew in 2021. In September 2023 it joined the pro-EUEuropean People's Partyas an associate member.
Election results[edit]
Election | Votes | % | Seats | +/– | Position | Government |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1931 | 16,891 | 43.8 | 15 / 42
|
9 | 2nd | Opposition |
1933 | 17,131 | 48.0 | 20 / 42
|
5 | 1st | Coalition |
1934 | 21,974 | 42.3 | 20 / 49
|
0 | 1st | Opposition |
1937 | 24,132 | 41.3 | 17 / 49
|
3 | 2nd | Opposition |
1942 (Jul) | 22,975 | 39.5 | 17 / 49
|
0 | 2nd | Minority |
1942 (Oct) | 23,001 | 38.5 | 20 / 52
|
3 | 1st | Opposition |
1946 | 26,428 | 39.5 | 20 / 52
|
0 | 1st | Coalition |
1949 | 28,546 | 39.5 | 19 / 52
|
1 | 1st | Minority |
1953 | 28,738 | 37.1 | 21 / 52
|
2 | 1st | Coalition |
1956 | 35,027 | 42.4 | 19 / 52
|
2 | 1st | Opposition |
1959 (Jun) | 36,029 | 42.5 | 20 / 52
|
1 | 1st | Opposition |
1959 (Oct) | 33,800 | 39.7 | 24 / 60
|
4 | 1st | Coalition |
1963 | 37,021 | 41.4 | 24 / 60
|
0 | 1st | Coalition |
1967 | 36,036 | 37.5 | 23 / 60
|
1 | 1st | Coalition |
1971 | 38,170 | 36.2 | 22 / 60
|
1 | 1st | Opposition |
1974 | 48,764 | 42.7 | 25 / 60
|
3 | 1st | Coalition |
1978 | 39,982 | 32.7 | 20 / 60
|
5 | 1st | Opposition |
1979 | 43,838 | 35.4 | 21 / 60
|
1 | 1st | Opposition |
1983 | 50,251 | 38.6 | 23 / 60
|
2 | 1st | Coalition |
1987 | 41,490 | 27.2 | 18 / 63
|
5 | 1st | Coalition |
1991 | 60,836 | 38.6 | 26 / 63
|
8 | 1st | Coalition |
1995 | 61,183 | 37.1 | 25 / 63
|
1 | 1st | Coalition |
1999 | 67,513 | 40.7 | 26 / 63
|
1 | 1st | Coalition |
2003 | 61,701 | 33.6 | 22 / 63
|
4 | 1st | Coalition |
2007 | 66,754 | 36.6 | 25 / 63
|
3 | 1st | Coalition |
2009 | 44,371 | 23.7 | 16 / 63
|
9 | 2nd | Opposition |
2013 | 50,454 | 26.7 | 19 / 63
|
3 | 1st | Coalition |
2016 | 54,990 | 29.0 | 21 / 63
|
2 | 1st | Coalition |
2017 | 49,543 | 25.2 | 16 / 63
|
5 | 1st | Coalition |
2021 | 48,708 | 24.4 | 16 / 63
|
0 | 1st | Coalition |
Leadership[edit]
Nº | Chairman | Took office | Left office | Duration | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Jón Þorláksson (1877–1935) |
29 May 1929 | 2 October 1934 | 5 years, 4 months, 3 days (1,952 days) | |
2 | Ólafur Thors (1892–1964) |
2 October 1934 | 22 October 1961 | 27 years, 20 days (9,882 days) | |
3 | Bjarni Benediktsson (1908–1970) |
22 October 1961 | 10 July 1970 | 8 years, 8 months, 18 days (3,183 days) | |
4 | Jóhann Hafstein (1915–1980) |
10 July 1970 | 12 October 1973 | 3 years, 3 months, 2 days (1,190 days) | |
5 | Geir Hallgrímsson (1925–1990) |
12 October 1973 | 6 November 1983 | 10 years, 25 days (3,677 days) | |
6 | Þorsteinn Pálsson (1947) |
6 November 1983 | 10 March 1991 | 7 years, 4 months, 4 days (2,681 days) | |
7 | Davíð Oddsson (1948) |
10 March 1991 | 16 October 2005 | 14 years, 7 months, 6 days (5,334 days) | |
8 | Geir Haarde (1951) |
16 October 2005 | 29 March 2009 | 3 years, 5 months, 13 days (1,260 days) | |
9 | Bjarni Benediktsson (1970) |
29 March 2009 | Present | 15 years, 98 days (5577 days) |
Footnotes[edit]
- ^abBale, Tim (2021).Riding the populist wave: Europe's mainstream right in crisis.Cristóbal Rovira Kaltwasser.Cambridge, United Kingdom: Cambridge University Press. p. 34.ISBN978-1-009-00686-6.OCLC1256593260.
- ^abSiaroff, Alan,The Effects of Differing Electoral Systems on Party Politics, Government Formation and Voter Turnout,p. 69
- ^abAgust Thor Arnason (2006)."The European Union Seen From the Top – A View of an Inside-Outsider".In Joakim Nergelius (ed.).Nordic and Other European Constitutional Traditions.BRILL. p. 34.ISBN978-90-474-0978-6.
- ^abNordsieck, Wolfram (2017)."Iceland".Parties and Elections in Europe.
- ^abNordic States and European Integration: Awkward Partners in the North?p.106. Edited by Malin Stegmann McCallion and Alex Brianson. Published byPalgrave Macmillan.First published in 2017. Published in Cham, Switzerland. Accessed viaGoogle Books.
- ^ab"Iceland election: Independence Party still has most seats".BBC News.29 October 2017.Retrieved30 October2017.
- ^ab"Politics in Iceland: A beginner's guide".
- ^abArter, David (15 February 1999).Scandinavian Politics Today.Manchester University Press. p. 88.ISBN978-0-7190-5133-3.
- ^Fontaine, Andie Sophia (February 23, 2021).Iceland’s Political Parties: Who Are These People?The Reykjavik Grapevine.Retrieved: 1 3 September 2021.
- ^Önnudóttir, Eva H.; Hardarson, Ólafur Th. (11 December 2017)."Iceland 2017: A new government from left to right".Party Systems and Governments Observatory.University of Nottingham.
- ^Deloy, Corinne (2 May 2013)."The rightwing opposition wins in the general elections in Iceland".Robert Schuman Foundation.Archived fromthe originalon 10 December 2022.Retrieved15 May2016.
- ^abcdeSiaroff, Alan (2000).Comparative European party systems: an analysis of parliamentary elections.London: Taylor & Francis. p. 295.ISBN978-0-8153-2930-5.
- ^Cook, Chris; Paxton, John (18 June 1975).European Political Facts 1918–73.Springer. p. 177.ISBN978-1-349-01535-1.
- ^McHale, Vincent E.; Skowronski, Sharon (1983).Political Parties of Europe: Albania-Norway.Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press. p. 522.ISBN978-0-313-23804-8.
- ^Tomasson (1980), pp. 41–2
- ^"Iceland election: centre-right parties lose majority".the Guardian.29 October 2017.
- ^"New Government of Iceland Takes Office".Iceland Monitor.29 November 2021.
- ^Europe in Revolt.Catarina Príncipe, Bhaskar Sunkara. Chicago, Illinois: Haymarket Books. 2016. p. 65.ISBN978-1-60846-658-0.OCLC952667068.
{{cite book}}
:CS1 maint: others (link) - ^Bértoa, Fernando Casal (2021).Party system closure: party alliances, government alternatives, and democracy in Europe.Zsolt Enyedi (1 ed.). Oxford. p. 59.ISBN978-0-19-255668-4.OCLC1250648339.
{{cite book}}
:CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) - ^Kopecek, Lubomír; Hloušek, Vít (2013).Origin, Ideology and Transformation of Political Parties: East-Central and Western Europe Compared.Ashgate Publishing, Ltd. p. 89.ISBN978-1409499770.
- ^abHansen, Erik Jørgen (2006).Welfare trends in the Scandinavian countries, Part 2.New York: M. E. Sharpe. p. 81.ISBN978-0-87332-844-9.
- ^abcdeTomasson (1980), p. 42
- ^abCross, William (2007).Democratic reform in New Brunswick.Toronto: Canadian Scholars' Press. pp. 68–9.ISBN978-1-55130-326-0.
- ^Woods, Leigh; Gunnarsdóttir, Ágústa (1997).Public Selves and Political Stages.London: Routledge. p. 10.ISBN978-3-7186-5873-2.
- ^abArter, David (2006).Democracy in Scandinavia.Manchester: Manchester University Press. p. 50.ISBN978-0-7190-7047-1.
- ^abcGunnlaugsson, Helgi; Galliher, John F. (2000).Wayward Icelanders.Madison: University of Wisconsin Press. p. 39.ISBN978-0-299-16534-5.
- ^Jónsson, Ásgeir (2009).Why Iceland?.New York: McGraw-Hill. p. 140.ISBN978-0-07-163284-3.
- ^Arter, David (1999).Scandinavian politics today.Manchester: Manchester University Press. p.91.ISBN978-0-7190-5133-3.
- ^Gill, Derek; Ingman, Stanley R. (1994).Eldercare, distributive justice, and the welfare state.Albany: State University of New York Press. p.90.ISBN978-0-7914-1765-2.
- ^Pálsson, Gísli (2007).Anthropology and the new genetics.Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. p. 132.ISBN978-0-521-67174-3.
- ^Siaroff, Alan (11 September 2002).Comparative European Party Systems: An Analysis of Parliamentary Elections Since 1945.Routledge. p. 291.ISBN978-1-135-58024-7.
- ^"Vona að mitt framboð verði hvatning fyrir aðrar konur".Morgunblaðið(in Icelandic). 16 September 1997.Retrieved27 November2011.
- ^grapevine.is (3 April 2009)."The Independence Party featured in Grapevine Magazine".Grapevine.is.Retrieved18 September2017.
References[edit]
- Tomasson, Richard F. (1980).Iceland: The First New Society.Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press.ISBN978-0-8166-0913-0.
External links[edit]
- Official website
- The National Youth Organisation of the Independence Party,namedSamband ungra sjálfstæðismannaorSUSinIcelandic,is one of the oldest political youth movements in Iceland.
- About the Independence Party