List of speakers of the Parliament of Iceland facts for kids
The Speaker of the Althing is a very important person in Iceland's government. Think of them as the leader or chairperson of the Althing, which is Iceland's parliament. Their main job is to make sure that meetings run smoothly and fairly. They help members of parliament follow the rules and have their say.
What is the Speaker of the Althing?
The Speaker of the Althing is like the referee in a big game. They make sure everyone plays by the rules. This person leads the discussions and debates in the parliament. They also represent the Althing on important occasions. It's a role that requires fairness and good leadership skills. The Speaker is chosen by the members of the Althing themselves.
Speakers of the United Althing (1875-1991)
For a long time, the Althing had a slightly different structure. From 1875 to 1991, it was known as the United Althing. During this period, many different people held the important position of Speaker. Here is a list of those who served:
| Name | Period |
|---|---|
| Jón Sigurðsson | 1875-1877 |
| Pétur Pétursson | 1879 |
| Bergur Thorberg | 1881 |
| Magnús Stephensen | 1883 |
| Árni Thorsteinson | 1885 |
| Benedikt Sveinsson | 1886-1887 |
| Benedikt Kristjánsson | 1889 |
| Eiríkur Briem | 1891 |
| Benedikt Sveinsson | 1893-1894 |
| Ólafur Briem | 1895 |
| Hallgrímur Sveinsson | 1897-1899 |
| Eiríkur Briem | 1901-1907 |
| Björn Jónsson | 1909 |
| Skúli Thoroddsen | 1909-1911 |
| Hannes Hafstein | 1912 |
| Jón Magnússon | 1912-1913 |
| Kristinn Daníelsson | 1914-1917 |
| Jóhannes Jóhannesson | 1918-1921 |
| Sigurður Eggerz | 1922 |
| Magnús Kristjánsson | 1922-1923 |
| Jóhannes Jóhannesson | 1924-1926 |
| Magnús Torfason | 1927-1929 |
| Ásgeir Ásgeirsson | 1930-1931 |
| Einar Árnason | 1931-1932 |
| Tryggvi Þórhallsson | 1933 |
| Jón Baldvinsson | 1933-1938 |
| Haraldur Guðmundsson | 1938-1941 |
| Gísli Sveinsson | 1942 |
| Haraldur Guðmundsson | 1942-1943 |
| Gísli Sveinsson | 1943-1945 |
| Jón Pálmason | 1945-1949 |
| Steingrímur Steinþórsson | 1949-1950 |
| Jón Pálmason | 1950-1953 |
| Jörundur Brynjólfsson | 1953-1956 |
| Emil Jónsson | 1956-1958 |
| Jón Pálmason | 1959 |
| Bjarni Benediktsson | 1959 |
| Friðjón Skarphéðinsson | 1959-1963 |
| Birgir Finnsson | 1963-1971 |
| Eysteinn Jónsson | 1971-1974 |
| Gylfi Þorsteinsson Gíslason | 1974 |
| Ásgeir Bjarnason | 1974-1978 |
| Gils Guðmundsson | 1978-1979 |
| Oddur Ólafsson | 1979 |
| Jón Helgason | 1979-1983 |
| Þorvaldur Garðar Kristjánsson | 1983-1988 |
| Guðrún Helgadóttir | 1988-1991 |
| Salome Þorkelsdóttir | 1991 |
Speakers of the Modern Althing (Since 1991)
Since 1991, the Althing has been a single-chamber parliament. This means it works as one unified group. The Speaker's role remains crucial in guiding the parliament's work. Here are the Speakers who have served in the modern, single-chamber Althing:
| Name | Period | Party |
|---|---|---|
| Salome Þorkelsdóttir | 1991 – 1995 | Independence Party |
| Ólafur Garðar Einarsson | 1995 – 1999 | Independence Party |
| Halldór Blöndal | 1999 – 2005 | Independence Party |
| Sólveig Pétursdóttir | 2005 – 2007 | Independence Party |
| Sturla Böðvarsson | 2007 – 2009 | Independence Party |
| Guðbjartur Hannesson | 2009 | Social Democratic Alliance |
| Ásta Jóhannesdóttir | 2009 – 2013 | Social Democratic Alliance |
| Einar Kristinn Guðfinnsson | 2013 – 2016 | Independence Party |
| Steingrímur J. Sigfússon | 2016 – 2017 | The Left-Green Movement |
| Unnur Brá Konráðsdóttir | 2017* | Independence Party |
| Steingrímur J. Sigfússon | 2017 – 2021 | The Left-Green Movement |
| Birgir Ármannsson | 2021 – | Independence Party |
