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Prime Minister of Iceland
Coat of arms of Iceland.svg
Kristrún Frostadóttir 2021.jpg
Incumbent
Kristrún Frostadóttir

since 21 December 2024
Prime Minister's Office
Style
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; 121 years ago (1904-02-01)
Salary 2,021,825 kr/US$ 14,038 monthly
Website

The prime minister of Iceland (called Forsætisráðherra Íslands in Icelandic) is the main leader of the government in Iceland. The president of Iceland officially chooses the prime minister. The prime minister works with a group of top government officials called the cabinet. Together, they make important decisions for the country, with support from the parliament.

How the Prime Minister is Chosen

The President's Role in Government

The president of Iceland appoints the prime minister. This is stated in the Constitution of Iceland, which is like Iceland's rulebook. The prime minister then leads the meetings of the cabinet.

The Constitution says: "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." This means the president picks one minister to be the leader, and that person becomes the prime minister.

Where the Prime Minister Works

Prime Minister's Offices and Residences

The main office for the prime minister is in a building called the Governing Council (Stjórnarráðið) in Reykjavík. This is where their team works and where important cabinet meetings happen.

The prime minister also has a summer home called Þingvallabær. It is located in Þingvellir, a beautiful national park. There is also a reception house in Tjarnargata, Reykjavík. This house was used as the prime minister's home until 1943.

Images for kids

A Look at Past Prime Ministers

Leaders of Iceland Through History

Iceland has had many prime ministers since the position was created. Here's a look at some of the leaders who have served the country.

Home Rule Period (1904–1918)

This was a time when Iceland gained more control over its own affairs, but was still connected to Denmark.

No. Portrait Name Took office Left office Party
1 Hannes Hafstein 1904 (cropped).png Hannes Hafstein 1 February
1904
31 March
1909
Home Rule Party
2 Björn Jónsson.jpg Björn Jónsson 31 March
1909
14 March
1911
Independence Party

Kingdom Period (1918–1944)

During this time, Iceland became an independent kingdom, but still shared a king with Denmark.

Political party colors:       Home Rule       Independence       Conservative       Progressive       Independent

No. Portrait Name Term of office Political Party Cabinet Monarch
# Took office Left office
6 Jón Magnússon1.jpg Jón Magnússon 1 4 January
1917
25 February
1920
Home Rule Party HP–IP–PP Kristján X
Christian X of Denmark circa 1915.jpg
2 25 February
1920
7 March
1922
HP–others
(4) Sigurður Eggerz.jpg Sigurður Eggerz 1 7 March
1922
22 March
1924
Independence Party IP–others
(6) Jón Magnússon1.jpg Jón Magnússon 3 22 March
1924
23 June
1926
Conservative Party CP
7 Magnús Guðmundsson.jpg Magnús Guðmundsson
Acting
23 June
1926
8 July
1926
Conservative Party
8 JThorl1927.jpg Jón Þorláksson 1 8 July
1926
28 August
1927
Conservative Party CP
9 Tryggvi Þórhallson.jpg Tryggvi Þórhallsson 1 28 August
1927
3 June
1932
Progressive Party PP
10 Asgeir Asgeirsson.jpg Ásgeir Ásgeirsson 1 3 June
1932
28 July
1934
Progressive Party PP–IP–Peasants
11 Hermann Jonasson.jpg Hermann Jónasson 1 28 July
1934
16 May
1942
Progressive Party PP–SDP
2 PP
3 PP–IP–SDP
4
12 Olafur Thors.jpg Ólafur Thors 1 16 May
1942
16 December
1942
Independence Party IP
13 Björn Þórðarson.png Björn Þórðarson 1 16 December
1942
21 October
1944
Independent

Republic Period (1944–Present)

Iceland became a fully independent republic in 1944. Since then, the prime minister has led the government under a president.

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

No. Portrait Name Term of office Political Party Cabinet President
# Took Office Left Office
(12) Olafur Thors.jpg Ólafur Thors 2 21 October
1944
4 February
1947
Independence Party IP–SDP–SP Sveinn
Björnsson

Sveinn Björnsson.jpg
14 Stefán Jóhann Stefánsson.jpg Stefán Jóhann Stefánsson 1 4 February
1947
6 December
1949
Social Democratic Party
(12) Olafur Thors.jpg Ólafur Thors 3 6 December
1949
14 March
1950
Independence Party IP
15 Steingrímur Steinþórsson.jpg Steingrímur Steinþórsson 1 14 March
1950
11 September
1953
Progressive Party PP–IP
(12) Olafur Thors.jpg Ólafur Thors 4 11 September
1953
24 July
1956
Independence Party Ásgeir
Ásgeirsson

Iceland President Ásgeir Ásgeirsson. Jerusalem 1966 (D803-058) (cropped).jpg
(11) Hermann Jonasson.jpg Hermann Jónasson 5 24 July
1956
23 December
1958
Progressive Party PP–SDP–PA
16 Emil Jónsson.jpg Emil Jónsson 1 23 December
1958
20 November
1959
Social Democratic Party SDP
(12) Olafur Thors.jpg Ólafur Thors 5 20 November
1959
8 September
1961
Independence Party IP–SDP
17 Bjarni Benediktsson 1908.jpg Bjarni Benediktsson
Acting
8 September
1961
31 December
1961
Independence Party
(12) Olafur Thors.jpg Ólafur Thors 1 January
1962
14 November
1963
Independence Party
(17) Bjarni Benediktsson 1908.jpg Bjarni Benediktsson 1 14 November
1963
10 July
1970
Independence Party Kristján
Eldjárn

Kristján Eldjárn (1982).jpg
18 Jóhann Hafstein.jpg Jóhann Hafstein 1 Acting: 10 July
10 October
1970
14 July
1971
Independence Party IP–SDP
19 Ólafur Jóhannesson 1 14 July
1971
28 August
1974
Progressive Party PP–PA–LL
20 Geir Hallgrímsson (cropped).jpg Geir Hallgrímsson 1 28 August
1974
1 September
1978
Independence Party IP–PP
(19) Ólafur Jóhannesson 2 1 September
1978
15 October
1979
Progressive Party PP–PA
21 Benedikt Gröndal 1 15 October
1979
8 February
1980
Social Democratic Party SDP
22 Gunnar Thoroddsen 1 8 February
1980
26 May
1983
Independence Party
(*Gunnar's faction)
IP*–PP–PA Vigdís
Finnbogadóttir

Vigdis Finnbogadottir (1985).jpg
23 Visit of Steingrimur Hermannsson, Icelandic Prime Minister, to the CEC (cropped).jpg Steingrímur Hermannsson 1 26 May
1983
8 July
1987
Progressive Party PP–IP
24 Þorsteinn Pálsson (cropped).jpeg Þorsteinn Pálsson 1 8 July
1987
28 September
1988
Independence Party IP–PP–SDP
(23) Visit of Steingrimur Hermannsson, Icelandic Prime Minister, to the CEC (cropped).jpg Steingrímur Hermannsson 2 28 September
1988
30 April
1991
Progressive Party PP–SDP–PA
3 PP–SDP–PA–CiP
25 Bilden ar tagen vid Nordiska radets session i Oslo, 2003.jpg Davíð Oddsson 1 30 April
1991
15 September
2004
Independence Party IP–SDP Ólafur
Ragnar
Grímsson

Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson, September 2011 (cropped).jpeg
2 IP–PP
3
4
26 Halldor Asgrimsson generalsekreterare Nordiska ministerradet.jpg Halldór Ásgrímsson 1 15 September
2004
15 June
2006
Progressive Party
27 Geir H. Haarde Islands utrikesminister (cropped).png Geir Haarde 1 15 June
2006
1 February
2009
Independence Party
2 IP–SDA
28 Johanna sigurdardottir official portrait.jpg Jóhanna Sigurðardóttir 1 1 February
2009
23 May
2013
Social Democratic Alliance SDA–LGM
29 Sigmundur Davíð Gunnlaugsson 2013.jpg Sigmundur Davíð Gunnlaugsson 1 23 May
2013
7 April
2016
Progressive Party PP–IP Guðni
Thorlacius
Jóhannesson

Guðni Th. Jóhannesson (cropped).jpg
30 Sigurður Ingi Jóhannsson 2016.jpg Sigurður Ingi Jóhannsson 1 7 April
2016
11 January
2017
Progressive Party
31 Bjarni Benediktsson 2016.jpg Bjarni Benediktsson 1 11 January
2017
30 November
2017
Independence Party IP–C–BF
32 Katrín Jakobsdóttir 2017.jpg Katrín Jakobsdóttir 1 30 November
2017
9 April
2024
Left-Green Movement LGM–IP–PP
2 (31) Bjarni Benediktsson - 2023 (cropped).jpg Bjarni Benediktsson 2 9 April
2024
21 December
2024
Independence Party Halla
Tómasdóttir

Halla Tómasdóttir at Arctic Circle 2024 cropped.jpg
33 Kristrún Frostadóttir 2021.jpg Kristrún Frostadóttir 1 21 December
2024
Incumbent Social Democratic Alliance SDA–RP–PP

Timeline of Prime Ministers

Katrín Jakobsdóttir Bjarni Benediktsson (born 1970) Sigurður Ingi Jóhannsson Sigmundur Davíð Gunnlaugsson Jóhanna Sigurðardóttir Geir Haarde Halldór Ásgrímsson Davíð Oddsson Þorsteinn Pálsson Steingrímur Hermannsson Gunnar Thoroddsen Benedikt Sigurðsson Gröndal Geir Hallgrímsson Ólafur Jóhannesson Jóhann Hafstein Bjarni Benediktsson (born 1908) Emil Jónsson Steingrímur Steinþórsson Stefán Jóhann Stefánsson Björn Þórðarson Ólafur Thors Hermann Jónasson Ásgeir Ásgeirsson Tryggvi Þórhallsson Jón Þorláksson Magnús Guðmundsson Sigurður Eggerz Jón Magnússon (politician)


See also

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