Liberal Party (Iceland)

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Frjálslyndi flokkurinn




Leader	Guðjón Arnar Kristjánsson

Founded	1998
Headquarters	Aðalstræti 9 101 Reykjavík

Political ideology	Liberalism, Populism
International affiliation	-

Website	http://www.xf.is

Iceland
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The Liberal Party (Frjálslyndi flokkurinn) is neither liberal in classic nor American sense, but a populist party in Iceland. It was founded in 1998 by former Member of Parliament (MP) and cabinet minister Sverrir Hermannsson. Since the 2003 elections it has four members in the Althing (Icelandic parliament). Sverrir Hermannsson was active in the Independence Party (Sjálfstæðisflokkurinn) before he left that party to found the new Liberal Party.

The party supports Iceland's membership of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization but is firmly opposed to the U.S. invasion and occupation of Iraq. The party rejects membership of the European Union. The chairman of the Liberal Party is Guðjón Arnar Kristjánsson, MP. Vice chairman is Magnús Þór Hafsteinsson, MP. In 2006/7, the minor New Force party merged into the Liberal Party, which caused the prominent Liberal Party member Margrét Sverrisdóttir to leave the party, threatening to split the Liberal Party.^{[1] [2]}

The party has, before the 2007 parliament elections, moved from being primarily focused on issues of fishing quotas and small fishing communities towards immigration. It is the only political party in Iceland the supports strict restrictions on immigration and consequently, the party has been accused of xenophobia. In this regard, the party has been moving towards the Danish People's Party and the Progress Party in Norway.