Independence Party (Iceland) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids 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 (1929-05-25)
Merger of	Conservative Party Liberal Party
Headquarters	Háaleitisbraut 1, 105 Reykjavík
Youth wing	Young Independents
Ideology	Conservatism (Icelandic) Economic liberalism Liberal conservatism
Political position	Centre-right
European affiliation	European People's Party (associate member)
International affiliation	International Democracy Union
Nordic affiliation	Conservative Group
Colours	Blue
Seats in Parliament	17 / 63
Election symbol
Political parties

The Independence Party (Icelandic: Sjálfstæðisflokkurinn) is a major political party in Iceland. It is known for its conservative and economically liberal ideas. This means they often support less government involvement in the economy.

Currently, it is the largest party in the Althing, which is Iceland's parliament. They hold 17 out of 63 seats. The party's leader is Bjarni Benediktsson.

The party was created in 1929. It was formed when two older parties, the Conservative Party and the Liberal Party, joined together. Both of these older parties wanted Iceland to become fully independent from Denmark. Iceland finally became independent in 1944.

Since 1929, the Independence Party has almost always won the most votes in elections. The only time they didn't was in 2009. Many of the party's leaders have also served as the Prime Minister. Since 2013, the Independence Party has been part of every government in Iceland.

History of the Independence Party

The Independence Party officially started on May 25, 1929. It was a merger of the Conservative Party (formed in 1924) and the Liberal Party (formed in 1925). They chose the name "Independence Party" again, as there had been an older party with that name.

This new party quickly became very important in Icelandic politics. It became the main non-socialist political group in the country. From its first election in 1931, it was the largest party in Iceland.

Recent Elections and Governments

In the 2007 elections, the Independence Party won more seats. They formed a new government with the Social Democratic Alliance. This government was led by Geir Haarde.

However, in the 2009 elections, the party lost many seats. They went from 25–26 seats down to 16. This made them the second-largest party.

The Independence Party returned to power after the 2013 elections. They won 19 seats and became the largest party again. They formed a government with the Progressive Party. Bjarni Benediktsson became the Minister of Finance.

Later, this government faced some issues. A new government was formed in 2016 with the Independence Party, Bright Future, and the Reform Party. The Independence Party had 21 seats then. This government also ended due to some controversies.

After the 2017 elections, the Independence Party formed another government. This time, they joined with the Left-Green Movement and the Progressive Party. They had 17 seats in parliament.

After the 2021 election, the same three parties formed a government again. This government is led by Prime Minister Katrín Jakobsdóttir from the Left-Green Movement.

What the Party Believes In

The Independence Party is often called a conservative or liberal conservative party. This means they believe in traditional values and also support economic freedom.

They have been the main right-leaning party in Iceland since they started. They attract many voters who are not socialist. The party tries to be practical rather than sticking to one strict idea. Their name, "Independence Party," also suggests they are independent of any single political idea.

The party generally supports less government control over the economy. They believe in economic liberalism. This means they prefer private businesses and less government involvement. In the 1930s, they started to accept the idea of a welfare state, which means the government helps people with things like healthcare and education.

On social issues, the party is generally open-minded. For example, they were strong supporters of ending the ban on beer in Iceland. The ban was lifted in 1989.

Who Supports the Party

The Independence Party has been very successful in the Nordic countries. They have a wide range of supporters. However, they are especially popular among people who work in fishing and those with higher incomes.

The party tries not to appeal to just one social class. They are good at attracting working-class voters. This is partly because they strongly supported Iceland's independence in the 1930s. But most of their support comes from the middle class. People with higher incomes and university degrees also tend to support them more.

The newspaper Morgunblaðið has always supported the party. Davíð Oddsson, a former leader and Prime Minister, is one of the paper's editors.

The party has a history of strong individuals. Sometimes, this has led to smaller groups breaking away. However, these smaller groups usually did not last long.

The party has a very large number of members. About 15% of all people in Iceland are members of the Independence Party. Their youth wing, called Young Independents, is the largest youth organization in Iceland. It has over 12,000 members.

Working with Other Countries

The Independence Party has been a member of the International Democracy Union for many years. This group includes conservative parties from different countries, like Norway, Sweden, France, Finland, and Germany.

In 2011, the party joined the European Conservatives and Reformists Party. This group is generally skeptical about the European Union. However, they left this group in 2021. In September 2023, they joined the European People's Party as an associate member. This group is generally supportive of the European Union.

Election Results

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	Minorition
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

Leaders of the Independence Party

The Independence Party has had several leaders since it was founded in 1929. Here is a list of the people who have led the party:

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	16 years, 85 days (5929 days)

See also

In Spanish: Partido de la Independencia (Islandia) para niños