Prime Minister of Iceland

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Prime Minister of Iceland
Forsætisráðherra Íslands (Icelandic)
Coat of arms of Iceland
since 21 December 2024
Prime Minister's Office
Style
Member of
SeatReykjavík, Iceland
AppointerPresident
Term lengthNo term limit
Constituting instrument
PrecursorMinister for Iceland
Inaugural holderHannes Hafstein (under Home Rule as Minister for Iceland)
Jón Magnússon (under Kingdom of Iceland)
Formation1 February 1904; 121 years ago (1904-02-01)
Salary2,021,825 kr/US$ 14,038 monthly[1]
Websiteeng.forsaetisraduneyti.is (in English)
forsaetisraduneyti.is (in Icelandic)
Politics of Iceland
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The prime minister of Iceland (Icelandic: Forsætisráðherra Íslands) is head of government of the country of Iceland. The prime minister is appointed formally by the president and exercises executive authority along with the cabinet subject to parliamentary support.

Constitutional basis

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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

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The prime minister's office is located in the Governing Council (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 in Tjarnargata, Reykjavik, which was the prime ministerial residence until 1943.[5]

  • Stjórnarráðið in Reykjavík, the Prime Minister's Office
    Stjórnarráðið in Reykjavík, the Prime Minister's Office
  • Þingvallabær, the Prime Minister's summer residence
    Þingvallabær, the Prime Minister's summer residence

List of officeholders

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Home Rule (1904–1918)

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See also: Minister for Iceland § Home rule (1904–1918)

Despite Hannes Hafstein being a Minister for Iceland, he and his successors are considered to be the first Prime Ministers of Iceland by the national government.[6]

No.[6] Portrait Name
(born–died) 		Term of office Political party Government Ref.
Took office Left office Time in office
1 Hannes Hafstein
(1861–1922)
MP for Eyjafjarðarsýsla 		1 February 1904 31 March 1909 5 years, 58 days Home Rule Party Deuntzer
Christensen I–II
Neergaard I 		[7][8]
[9][10]
2 Björn Jónsson
(1846–1912)
MP for Barðastrandarsýsla 		31 March 1909 14 March 1911 1 year, 348 days Independence Party Neergaard I
Holstein-Ledreborg
Zahle I
Berntsen 		[10][11]
[12][13]
3 Kristján Jónsson
(1852–1926)
MP for Borgarfjarðarsýsla 		14 March 1911 25 July 1912 1 year, 133 days Independent Berntsen [13]
(1) Hannes Hafstein
(1861–1922)
MP for Eyjafjarðarsýsla 		25 July 1912 21 July 1914 1 year, 361 days Union Party Berntsen
Zahle II 		[13][14]
4 Sigurður Eggerz
(1875–1945)
MP for West Skaftafellssýsla 		21 July 1914 4 May 1915 287 days Independence Party Zahle II [14]
5 Einar Arnórsson
(1880–1955)
MP for Árnessýsla 		4 May 1915 4 January 1917 1 year, 245 days Independence Party – Langsum Zahle II [14]

Kingdom (1918–1944)

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Further information: Kingdom of Iceland

Political party:   Home Rule   Independence   Conservative   Progressive   Independent

No.[6] Portrait Name
(birth–death)
Constituency 		Term of office Party Elected Cabinet
coalition 		Monarch
(reign)
Took office Left office Time in office
6 Jón Magnússon
(1859–1926)
MP for Reykjavík until 1920
not in Parliament from 1920 		4 January 1917 7 March 1922 5 years, 62 days Home Rule Party Oct.
1916 		Magnússon I
HP–IP–PP 		Kristján X

(1918–1944)
1919 Magnússon II
HP–others
(4) Sigurður Eggerz
(1875–1945)
MP without constituency 		7 March 1922 22 March 1924 2 years, 15 days Independence Party – Eggerz
IP–others
(6) Jón Magnússon
(1859–1926)
MP without constituency 		22 March 1924 23 June 1926 # 2 years, 93 days Conservative Party 1923 Magnússon III
CP
7 Magnús Guðmundsson
Acting
(1879–1937)
MP for Skagafjarðarsýsla 		23 June 1926 8 July 1926 15 days Conservative Party
CP 		–
8 Jón Þorláksson
(1877–1935)
MP without constituency 		8 July 1926 28 August 1927 1 year, 51 days Conservative Party – Þorláksson
CP
9 Tryggvi Þórhallsson
(1889–1935)
MP for Strandasýsla 		28 August 1927 3 June 1932 4 years, 280 days Progressive Party 1927 Þórhallsson
PP
1931
10 Ásgeir Ásgeirsson
(1894–1972)
MP for West Ísafjarðarsýsla 		3 June 1932 28 July 1934 2 years, 55 days Progressive Party – Ásgeirsson
PP–IP–Peasants
1933
11 Hermann Jónasson
(1896–1976)
MP for Strandasýsla 		28 July 1934 16 May 1942 7 years, 292 days Progressive Party 1934 Jónasson I
PP–SDP
1937 Jónasson II
PP
– Jónasson III
PP–IP–SDP
– Jónasson IV
PP–IP–SDP
12 Ólafur Thors
(1892–1964)
MP for Gullbringu and Kjósarsýsla 		16 May 1942 16 December 1942 214 days Independence Party Jul.
1942 		Thors I
IP
Oct.
1942
13 Björn Þórðarson
(1879–1963)
Not in Parliament 		16 December 1942 21 October 1944 1 year, 310 days Independent – Þórðarson

Republic (1944–present)

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Further information: 1944 Icelandic constitutional referendum

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

No.[6] Portrait Name
(birth–death)
Constituency 		Term of office Party Elected Cabinet
coalition 		President(s)
(term)
Took office Left office Time in office
(12) Ólafur Thors
(1892–1964)
MP for Gullbringu and Kjósarsýsla 		21 October 1944 4 February 1947 2 years, 106 days Independence Party – Thors II
IP–SDP–SP 		Sveinn
Björnsson

(1944–1952)
1946
14 Stefán Jóhann Stefánsson
(1894–1980)
MP for Eyjafjarðarsýsla 		4 February 1947 6 December 1949 2 years, 305 days Social Democratic Party – Stefánsson
IP–SDP–SP
(12) Ólafur Thors
(1892–1964)
MP for Gullbringu and Kjósarsýsla 		6 December 1949 14 March 1950 98 days Independence Party 1949 Thors III
IP
15 Steingrímur Steinþórsson
(1893–1966)
MP for Skagafjarðarsýsla 		14 March 1950 11 September 1953 3 years, 181 days Progressive Party – Steinþórsson
PP–IP
(12) Ólafur Thors
(1892–1964)
MP for Gullbringu and Kjósarsýsla 		11 September 1953 24 July 1956 2 years, 305 days Independence Party 1953 Thors IV
PP–IP 		Ásgeir
Ásgeirsson

(1952–1968)
(11) Hermann Jónasson
(1896–1976)
MP for Strandasýsla 		24 July 1956 23 December 1958 2 years, 164 days Progressive Party 1956 Jónasson V
PP–SDP–PA
16 Emil Jónsson
(1902–1986)
MP for Hafnarfjörður 		23 December 1958 20 November 1959 332 days Social Democratic Party Jun.
1959 		Jónsson
SDP
(12) Ólafur Thors
(1892–1964)
MP for Gullbringu and Kjósarsýsla 		20 November 1959 8 September 1961 1 year, 292 days Independence Party Oct.
1959 		Thors V
IP–SDP
– Bjarni Benediktsson
(1908–1970)
acting
MP for Reykjavík 		8 September 1961 31 December 1961 114 days Independence Party –
(12) Ólafur Thors
(1892–1964)
MP for Gullbringu and Kjósarsýsla 		1 January 1962 14 November 1963 1 year, 317 days Independence Party –
17 Bjarni Benediktsson
(1908–1970)
MP for Reykjavík 		14 November 1963 10 July 1970 # 6 years, 238 days Independence Party 1963 Benediktsson
IP–SDP
1967 Kristján
Eldjárn

(1968–1980)
– Jóhann Hafstein
(1915–1980)
MP for Reykjavík 		10 July 1970 10 October 1970 92 days Independence Party – Hafstein
IP–SDP
18 10 October 1970 14 July 1971 277 days
19 Ólafur Jóhannesson
(1913–1984)
MP for Northwestern 		14 July 1971 28 August 1974 3 years, 45 days Progressive Party 1971 Jóhannesson I
PP–PA–LL
20 Geir Hallgrímsson
(1925–1990)
MP for Reykjavík 		28 August 1974 1 September 1978 4 years, 4 days Independence Party 1974 Hallgrímsson
IP–PP
(19) Ólafur Jóhannesson
(1913–1984)
MP for Northwestern 		1 September 1978 15 October 1979 1 year, 44 days Progressive Party 1978 Jóhannesson II
PP–PA
21 Benedikt Gröndal
(1924–2010)
MP for Reykjavík 		15 October 1979 8 February 1980 116 days Social Democratic Party 1979 Sigurðsson Gröndal
SDP
22 Gunnar Thoroddsen
(1910–1983)
MP for Reykjavík 		8 February 1980 26 May 1983 3 years, 107 days Independence Party
(*Gunnar's faction) 		– Thoroddsen
IP*–PP–PA 		Vigdís
Finnbogadóttir

(1980–1996)
23 Steingrímur Hermannsson
(1928–2010)
MP for Westfjords 		26 May 1983 8 July 1987 4 years, 43 days Progressive Party 1983 Hermannsson I
PP–IP
24 Þorsteinn Pálsson
(born 1947)
MP for Southern 		8 July 1987 28 September 1988 1 year, 82 days Independence Party 1987 Pálsson
IP–PP–SDP
(23) Steingrímur Hermannsson
(1928–2010)
MP for Reykjanes 		28 September 1988 30 April 1991 2 years, 214 days Progressive Party – Hermannsson II
PP–SDP–PA
– Hermannsson III
PP–SDP–PA–CiP
25 Davíð Oddsson
(born 1948)
MP for Reykjavík until 2003
MP for Reykjavík North from 2003 		30 April 1991 15 September 2004 13 years, 138 days Independence Party 1991 Oddsson I
IP–SDP
1995 Oddsson II
IP–PP 		Ólafur
Ragnar
Grímsson

(1996–2016)
1999 Oddsson III
IP–PP
2003 Oddsson IV
IP–PP
26 Halldór Ásgrímsson
(1947–2015)
MP for Reykjavík North 		15 September 2004 15 June 2006 1 year, 273 days Progressive Party – Ásgrímsson
IP–PP
27 Geir Haarde
(born 1951)
MP for Reykjavík South 		15 June 2006 1 February 2009 2 years, 231 days Independence Party – Haarde I
IP–PP
2007 Haarde II
IP–SDA
28 Jóhanna Sigurðardóttir
(born 1942)
MP for Reykjavík North 		1 February 2009 23 May 2013 4 years, 111 days Social Democratic Alliance – Sigurðardóttir I
SDA–LGM
2009 Sigurðardóttir II
SDA–LGM
29 Sigmundur Davíð Gunnlaugsson
(born 1975)
MP for Northeast 		23 May 2013 7 April 2016 2 years, 319 days Progressive Party 2013 Gunnlaugsson
PP–IP
30 Sigurður Ingi Jóhannsson
(born 1962)
MP for South 		7 April 2016 11 January 2017 280 days Progressive Party – Jóhannsson
PP–IP 		Guðni
Thorlacius
Jóhannesson

(2016–2024)
31 Bjarni Benediktsson
(born 1970)
MP for Southwest 		11 January 2017 30 November 2017 323 days Independence Party 2016 Benediktsson I
IP–C–BF
32 Katrín Jakobsdóttir
(born 1976)
MP for Reykjavík North 		30 November 2017 9 April 2024 6 years, 131 days Left-Green Movement 2017 Jakobsdóttir I
LGM–IP–PP
2021 Jakobsdóttir II
LGM–IP–PP
(31) Bjarni Benediktsson
(born 1970)
MP for Southwest 		9 April 2024 21 December 2024 256 days Independence Party – Benediktsson II
LGM–IP–PP 		Halla
Tómasdóttir

(2024–present)
33 Kristrún Frostadóttir
(born 1988)
MP for Reykjavík South 		21 December 2024 Incumbent 359 days Social Democratic Alliance 2024 Frostadóttir
SDA–RP–PP

Timeline

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Kristrún FrostadóttirKatrín JakobsdóttirBjarni Benediktsson (born 1970)Sigurður Ingi JóhannssonSigmundur Davíð GunnlaugssonJóhanna SigurðardóttirGeir HaardeHalldór ÁsgrímssonDavíð OddssonÞorsteinn PálssonSteingrímur HermannssonGunnar ThoroddsenBenedikt Sigurðsson GröndalGeir HallgrímssonÓlafur JóhannessonJóhann HafsteinBjarni Benediktsson (born 1908)Emil JónssonSteingrímur SteinþórssonStefán Jóhann StefánssonBjörn ÞórðarsonÓlafur ThorsHermann JónassonÁsgeir ÁsgeirssonTryggvi ÞórhallssonJón ÞorlákssonMagnús GuðmundssonSigurður EggerzJón Magnússon (politician)


See also

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References

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  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.
  6. ^ a b c d "Former Prime Ministers". www.government.is. Retrieved 11 December 2025.
  7. ^ "Regeringen Deuntzer". Statsministeriet (in Danish). Retrieved 11 October 2025.
  8. ^ "Regeringen Christensen I". Statsministeriet (in Danish). Retrieved 11 October 2025.
  9. ^ "Regeringen Christensen II". Statsministeriet (in Danish). Retrieved 11 October 2025.
  10. ^ a b "Regeringen Neergaard I". Statsministeriet (in Danish). Retrieved 11 October 2025.
  11. ^ "Regeringen Holstein-Ledreborg". Statsministeriet (in Danish). Retrieved 11 October 2025.
  12. ^ "Regeringen Zahle I". Statsministeriet (in Danish). Retrieved 11 October 2025.
  13. ^ a b c "Regeringen Berntsen". Statsministeriet (in Danish). Retrieved 11 October 2025.
  14. ^ a b c "Regeringen Zahle II". Statsministeriet (in Danish). Retrieved 11 October 2025.
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