Prime Minister of Iceland

Head of Iceland's government

Prime Minister of Iceland

Forsætisráðherra Íslands (Icelandic)

Coat of arms of Iceland

Incumbent
Vacant
since 25 June 2024

Prime Minister's Office
Style|

* Mister Prime Minister (informal)
* His Excellency (diplomatic)

Member of|

* State Council of Iceland
* Cabinet of Iceland

Seat| Reykjavík, Iceland
Appointer| President
Term length| No term limit
Constituting instrument|

* Constitution of Iceland
* Law on the Cabinet of Iceland

Precursor| Minister for Iceland
Inaugural holder| Jón Magnússon
Formation| 1 February 1904; 120 years ago (1904-02-01)
Salary| 2,021,825 kr/US$ 14,038 monthly[1]
Website| eng.forsaetisraduneyti.is (in English)
forsaetisraduneyti.is (in Icelandic)

Politics of Iceland

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* * *

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* Speaker Birgir Ármannsson (D)

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* * *

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* President of Iceland

* Guðni Th. Jóhannesson (I)

* Prime Minister of Iceland

* Bjarni Benediktsson (D)

* * *

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* * *

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The prime minister of Iceland (Icelandic: Forsætisráðherra Íslands) is head of government of the Republic of Iceland. The prime minister is appointed formally by the president and exercises executive authority along with the cabinet subject to parliamentary support.

Bjarni Benediktsson passed away during his time in office. It is unknown who will replace him.

## Constitutional basis[edit]

The prime minister is appointed by the president under the Constitution of Iceland, Section II Article 17, and chairs the Cabinet of Iceland:

Fundunum stjórnar sá ráðherra, er forseti lýðveldisins hefur kvatt til forsætis, og nefnist hann forsætisráðherra.[2]
The [cabinet] meetings shall be presided over by the Minister called upon by the President of the Republic to do so, who is designated Prime Minister.[3]

## Locations[edit]

The prime minister's office is located in Stjórnarráðið, Reykjavik, where their secretariat is based and where cabinet meetings are held.[4] The prime minister has a summer residence, Þingvallabær in Þingvellir. The prime minister also has a reception house at Tjarnargata, Reykjavik, which was the prime ministerial residence until 1943.[5]

* Stjórnarráðið in Reykjavík, the Prime Minister's Office

* Þingvallabær, the Prime Minister's summer residence

## List of previous prime ministers[edit]

### Home Rule (1904–1918)[edit]

See also: Minister for Iceland

Political party: Home Rule Independence Union Independent

No. | Portrait  | Name
(Birth–Death)
Constituency | Took office  | Left office  | Party

|
|
|
|
|

|  | Hannes Þórður Pétursson Hafstein
(1861–1922)
MP for Eyjafjarðarsýsla | 1 February 1904  | 31 March 1909  | Home Rule Party
|  | Björn Jónsson
(1846–1912)
MP for Barðastrandarsýsla | 31 March 1909  | 14 March 1911  | Independence Party
|  | Kristján Jónsson
(1852–1926)
MP for Borgarfjarðarsýsla | 14 March 1911  | 24 July 1912  | Independent
|  | Hannes Hafstein
(1861–1922)
MP for Eyjafjarðarsýsla | 24 July 1912  | 21 July 1914  | Union Party
|  | Sigurður Eggerz
(1875–1945)
MP for West Skaftafellssýsla | 21 July 1914  | 4 May 1915  | Independence Party
|  | Einar Arnórsson
(1880–1955)
MP for Árnessýsla | 4 May 1915  | 4 January 1917  | Independence Party
(Langsum)

### Kingdom (1918–1944)[edit]

Further information: Kingdom of Iceland

Political party: Home Rule Independence Conservative Progressive Independent

| No. | Portrait  | Name
(Birth–Death)
Constituency | Term of office  | Political Party  | Cabinet  | Election

|
|
|
|
|
|
|

#  | Took Office  | Left Office  | Days
| 1  |  | Jón Magnússon
(1859–1926)
MP for Reykjavík until 1920
not in Parliament from 1920 | 1 | 4 January 1917  | 25 February 1920  | 1888  | Home Rule Party | HP–IP–PP | Oct. 1916
2 | 25 February 1920  | 7 March 1922  | HP–others  | 1919
| 2  |  | Sigurður Eggerz
(1875–1945)
MP without constituency | • | 7 March 1922  | 22 March 1924  | 746  | Independence Party | IP–others
1923
| (1)  |  | Jón Magnússon
(1859–1926)
MP without constituency | 3 | 22 March 1924  | 23 June 1926 (died) | 823  | Conservative Party | CP
| 3  |  | Magnús Guðmundsson
Acting
(1879–1937)
MP for Skagafjarðarsýsla | 23 June 1926  | 8 July 1926  | 15  | Conservative Party
| 4  |  | Jón Þorláksson
(1877–1935)
MP without constituency | • | 8 July 1926  | 28 August 1927  | 416  | Conservative Party | CP
| 5  |  | Tryggvi Þórhallsson
(1889–1935)
MP for Strandasýsla | • | 28 August 1927  | 3 June 1932  | 1741  | Progressive Party | PP | 1927
1931
| 6  |  | Ásgeir Ásgeirsson
(1894–1972)
MP for West Ísafjarðarsýsla | • | 3 June 1932  | 28 July 1934  | 785  | Progressive Party | PP–IP–Peasants
1933
| 7  |  | Hermann Jónasson
(1896–1976)
MP for Strandasýsla | 1 | 28 July 1934  | 2 April 1938  | 2849  | Progressive Party | PP–SDP | 1934
2 | 2 April 1938  | 17 April 1939  | PP | 1937
3 | 17 April 1939  | 18 November 1941  | PP–IP–SDP
4 | 18 November 1941  | 16 May 1942  | PP–IP–SDP
| 8  |  | Ólafur Tryggvason Thors
(1892–1964)
MP for Gullbringu and Kjósarsýsla | 1 | 16 May 1942  | 16 December 1942  | 214  | Independence Party | IP | Jul.1942
Oct.1942
| 9  |  | Björn Þórðarson
(1879–1963)
not in Parliament | • | 16 December 1942  | 21 October 1944  | 675  | Independent | —

### Republic (1944–present)[edit]

Further information: 1944 Icelandic constitutional referendum

Political party: Independence Progressive Social Democratic Party Social Democratic Alliance Left-Green

| No. | Portrait  | Name
(Birth–Death)
Constituency | Term of office  | Political Party  | Cabinet  | Election  | President of Republic of Iceland
Term of office
Political Party

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

#  | Took Office  | Left Office  | Days
| (8)  |  | Ólafur Tryggvason Thors
(1892–1964)
MP for Gullbringu and Kjósarsýsla | 2  | 21 October 1944  | 4 February 1947  | 836  | Independence Party | IP–SDP–SP | 1946 | Sveinn Björnsson
17 June 1944 – 25 January 1952
Independent
| 10  |  | Stefán Jóhann Stefánsson
(1894–1980)
MP for Eyjafjarðarsýsla | •  | 4 February 1947  | 6 December 1949  | 1036  | Social Democratic Party | SDP–IP–SP
| (8)  |  | Ólafur Tryggvason Thors
(1892–1964)
MP for Gullbringu and Kjósarsýsla | 3  | 6 December 1949  | 14 March 1950  | 98  | Independence Party | IP | 1949
| 11  |  | Steingrímur Steinþórsson
(1893–1966)
MP for Skagafjarðarsýsla | •  | 14 March 1950  | 11 September 1953  | 1277  | Progressive Party | PP–IP
| (8)  |  | Ólafur Tryggvason Thors
(1892–1964)
MP for Gullbringu and Kjósarsýsla | 4  | 11 September 1953  | 24 July 1956  | 1035  | Independence Party | IP–PP | 1953 | Ásgeir Ásgeirsson
1 August 1952 – 1 August 1968
Social Democratic Party (Iceland)
| (7)  |  | Hermann Jónasson
(1896–1976)
MP for Strandasýsla | 5 | 24 July 1956  | 23 December 1958  | 894  | Progressive Party | Alliance
PP–SDP–PA | 1956
| 12  |  | Guðmundur Emil Jónsson
(1902–1986)
MP for Hafnarfjörður | • | 23 December 1958  | 20 November 1959  | 332  | Social Democratic Party | SDP | Jun.1959
| (8)  |  | Ólafur Tryggvason Thors
(1892–1964)
MP for Gullbringu and Kjósarsýsla | 5 | 20 November 1959  | 8 September 1961  | 658  | Independence Party | IP–SDP | Oct.1959
| 13  |  | Bjarni Benediktsson
Acting
(1908–1970)
MP for Reykjavík | 8 September 1961  | 31 December 1961  | 114  | Independence Party | IP–SDP
| (8)  |  | Ólafur Tryggvason Thors
(1892–1964)
MP for Gullbringu and Kjósarsýsla | 1 January 1962  | 14 November 1963  | 682  | Independence Party | IP–SDP
| (13)  |  | Bjarni Benediktsson
(1908–1970)
MP for Reykjavík | • | 14 November 1963  | 10 July 1970 (died) | 2430  | Independence Party | IP–SDP | 1963
1967 | Kristján Eldjárn
1 August 1968 – 1 August 1980
Independent
| 14  |  | Jóhann Hafstein
(1915–1980)
MP for Reykjavík | • | (Acting: 10 July 1970)
10 October 1970  | 14 July 1971  | 369  | Independence Party | IP–SDP
| 15  |  | Ólafur Jóhannesson
(1913–1984)
MP for Northwestern | 1 | 14 July 1971  | 28 August 1974  | 1141  | Progressive Party | PP–PA–LL | 1971
| 16  |  | Geir Hallgrímsson
(1925–1990)
MP for Reykjavík | • | 28 August 1974  | 1 September 1978  | 1465  | Independence Party | IP–PP | 1974
| (15)  |  | Ólafur Jóhannesson
(1913–1984)
MP for Northwestern | 2 | 1 September 1978  | 15 October 1979  | 409  | Progressive Party | PP–PA | 1978
| 17  |  | Benedikt Sigurðsson Gröndal
(1924–2010)
MP for Reykjavík | • | 15 October 1979  | 8 February 1980  | 116  | Social Democratic Party | SDP | 1979
| 18  |  | Gunnar Thoroddsen
(1910–1983)
MP for Reykjavík | • | 8 February 1980  | 26 May 1983  | 1203  | Independence Party
(*Gunnar's faction)  | IP*–PP–PA | Vigdís Finnbogadóttir
1 August 1980 – 1 August 1996
Independent
| 19  |  | Steingrímur Hermannsson
(1928–2010)
MP for Westfjords | 1 | 26 May 1983  | 8 July 1987  | 1504  | Progressive Party | PP–IP | 1983
| 20  |  | Þorsteinn Pálsson
(born 1947)
MP for Southern | • | 8 July 1987  | 28 September 1988  | 448  | Independence Party | IP–PP–SDP | 1987
| (19)  |  | Steingrímur Hermannsson
(1928–2010)
MP for Reykjanes | 2 | 28 September 1988  | 10 September 1989  | 944  | Progressive Party | PP–SDP–PA
3 | 10 September 1989  | 30 April 1991  | PP–SDP–PA–CiP
| 21  |  | Davíð Oddsson
(born 1948)
MP for Reykjavík until 2003
MP for Reykjavík North from 2003 | 1 | 30 April 1991  | 23 April 1995  | 4887  | Independence Party | IP–SDP | 1991
2 | 23 April 1995  | 28 May 1999  | IP–PP | 1995 | Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson
1 August 1996 – 1 August 2016
Independent
3 | 28 May 1999  | 23 May 2003  | IP–PP | 1999
4 | 23 May 2003  | 15 September 2004  | IP–PP | 2003
| 22  |  | Halldór Ásgrímsson
(1947–2015)
MP for Reykjavík North | • | 15 September 2004  | 15 June 2006  | 638  | Progressive Party | PP–IP
| 23  |  | Geir Hilmar Haarde
(born 1951)
MP for Reykjavík South | 1 | 15 June 2006  | 24 May 2007  | 962  | Independence Party | IP–PP
2 | 24 May 2007  | 1 February 2009  | IP–SDA | 2007
| 24  |  | Jóhanna Sigurðardóttir
(born 1942)
MP for Reykjavík North | 1 | 1 February 2009  | 10 May 2009  | 1572  | Social Democratic Alliance | SDA–LGM
2 | 10 May 2009  | 23 May 2013  | SDA–LGM | 2009
| 25  |  | Sigmundur Davíð Gunnlaugsson
(born 1975)
MP for Northeast | • | 23 May 2013  | 7 April 2016  | 1049  | Progressive Party | PP–IP | 2013
| 26  |  | Sigurður Ingi Jóhannsson
(born 1962)
MP for South | • | 7 April 2016  | 11 January 2017  | 280  | Progressive Party | PP–IP | Guðni Thorlacius Jóhannesson
1 August 2016–
Independent
| 27  |  | Bjarni Benediktsson
(born 1970)
MP for Southwest | 1 | 11 January 2017  | 30 November 2017  | 323  | Independence Party | IP–RP–BF | 2016
| 28  |  | Katrín Jakobsdóttir
(born 1976)
MP for Reykjavík North | 1 | 30 November 2017  | 28 November 2021  | 2399  | Left-Green Movement | LGM–IP–PP | 2017
2 | 28 November 2021  | 9 April 2024  | LGM–IP–PP | 2021
| (27)  |  | Bjarni Benediktsson
(1970-2024)
MP for Southwest | 2 | 9 April 2024  | 25 June 2024  | 77  | Independence Party | IP–LGM–PP

## Timeline[edit]

## See also[edit]

* Iceland portal
* Politics portal

* List of rulers of Iceland
* Cabinet of Iceland

## References[edit]

1. ^ "2016.3.001 Alþingismenn, ráðherrar og forseti Íslands" [2016.3.001 Parliamentarians, Ministers and President of Iceland] (PDF). Kjararáð (in Icelandic). p. 7.
2. ^ Constitution of Iceland (Icelandic version)
3. ^ Constitution of Iceland (English version)
4. ^ "The Prime Minister's Office (PMO) in Iceland". Prime Minister's Office. Retrieved 28 October 2015.
5. ^ "Minister's Residence". Prime Minister's Office. Retrieved 28 October 2015.

## External links[edit]

* Iceland's Prime Ministers Office

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Prime ministers of Iceland

Kingdom of Iceland
(1918–1944)|

* Jón Magnússon
* Sigurður Eggerz
* Jón Magnússon
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* Jón Þorláksson
* Tryggvi Þórhallsson
* Ásgeir Ásgeirsson
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* Stefán J. Stefánsson
* Ólafur Thors
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* Ólafur Thors
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