|
The president, elected to a 4-year term, has limited powers. The prime minister and cabinet exercise most executive functions. The Althingi is composed of 63 members, elected every 4 years unless it is dissolved sooner. Suffrage for presidential and parliamentary elections is universal, and members of the Althingi are elected on the basis of proportional representation from eight constituencies. The judiciary consists of the Supreme Court, district courts, and various special courts. The constitution protects the judiciary from infringement by the other two branches. In nationwide town council elections in 1994, government coalition partners, the conservative Independence Party (IP), and the Social Democrat Party (SDP) lost support throughout the country, including the capital Reykjavik, which the IP had controlled for more than a half-century. In losing four seats in the April 1995 parliamentary elections, the IP and SDP mustered a simple majority in the 63-seat Althingi. However, Prime Minister and IP leader Oddsson chose the resurgent Progressive Party as a more conservative partner to form a stronger and more stable majority with 40 seats. Splintered by factionalism over the economy and Iceland's role in the European Union (EU), the SDP also suffered from being the only party to support Iceland's EU membership application. Nonetheless, Icelandic policy toward the U.S. has remained unchanged. After four 4-year terms as the world's first and only elected woman president, the widely popular Vigdis Finnbogadottir chose not to run for re-election in 1996. More than 86% of voters turned out in the June 29, 1997 presidential elections to give former leftist party chairman Olafur Ragnar Grimsson a 41% plurality and relatively comfortable 12% victory margin over the closest of three other candidates. Traditionally limited to 6-12 weeks, Iceland's campaign season was marked by several intensely personal attacks on Grimsson, a former finance minister who tried to erase memories of his controversial support of inflationary policies and opposition to the U.S. military presence at the NATO base in Keflavik. Grimsson successfully has used his largely ceremonial office to promote Icelandic trade abroad and family values at home. In May 8 parliamentary elections, the ruling, conservative Independence Party gained one seat for a total of 26 of 63 seats in the Althingi. Its continued coalition partner, the Progressive Party, lost three seats for a total of 12. The newly established United Left took 17 seats, and the Left-Green alliance garnered six. In a surprise, the Liberal Party won two seats. More than 84% of the electorate came out to vote, which actually fell from over 87% in the 1995 election. Women now hold three ministries and account for 22 of 63 parliamentarians. Parties in Government Independence Party (IP) 26 Progressive Party (PP) 12 Parties in opposition Liberal Party (WL) 02 United Left (UL) 17 Left-Green Alliance (LG) 06 Total 63 |
![[Home]](wikipedia.png)