Progressive Party (Iceland)

Progressive Party
Framsóknarflokkurinn
Chairperson Sigmundur Davíð Gunnlaugsson
Vice-chairperson Sigurður Ingi Jóhannsson
Leader of the parliamentary group Sigrún Magnúsdóttir
Chairperson of the municipal council Elín Líndal
Founded 16 December 1916
Merger of
Headquarters Hverfisgata 33,
101 Reykjavík
Youth wing Association of Young People in the Progressive Party
Ideology Liberalism[1]
Nordic agrarianism[1]
Euroscepticism[2][3]
Populism[4]
Political position Centre-right[5]
International affiliation Liberal International
European affiliation none
Colours Green
Seats in the parliament
19 / 63
Website
www.framsokn.is
Politics of Iceland
Political parties
Elections
This article is part of a series on the
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The Progressive Party (Icelandic: Framsóknarflokkurinn) is a liberal[6][7] and agrarian[6][7][8] political party in Iceland. The party is a member of the Liberal International.[9] Current chairman of the party is Sigmundur Davíð Gunnlaugsson, who was elected on 18 January 2009 and is Prime Minister of Iceland since 23 May 2013 following the 2013 parliamentary election: His predecessor was Valgerður Sverrisdóttir, who only served as chairman for two months. Her predecessor, Guðni Ágústsson, who, as a vice-chairman became chairman when the previous chairman, Jón Sigurðsson, resigned after the Progressive Party suffered great losses in the 2007 election. Jón's predecessor as party leader was Halldór Ásgrímsson, chairman 1994 to 2006. Halldór served as Prime Minister of Iceland from 2004 to 2006.

History

The party had been in a government coalition partner to the liberal-conservative Independence Party during the period 1995 to 2007. From 1995 to 2004, it participated in the coalition as the junior partner under the premiership of Independence Party leader Davíð Oddsson, but the two parties agreed after the 2003 legislative elections that Halldór would become Prime Minister in September 2004. He took office on 15 September, but later announced his intention to resign on 5 June 2006 following the party's poor results in the 2006 municipal elections. The coalition remained allied with the Independence Party chairman, Geir H. Haarde, as Prime Minister. The Progressive Party leader Jón Sigurðsson was Minister of Industry and Commerce, until a coalition of the Independence Party and the Alliance took over after the elections in 2007.

Though the Progressive Party was originally founded as an agrarian party and still finds most of its support from farmers and fishermen, it has gradually adopted the position of a liberal party in the political spectrum. It was founded in 1916 as a merger of two agrarian parties,[10] the Farmers' Party (Bændaflokkur) and the Independent Farmers (Óháðir bændur).

Throughout Iceland's history as a self-governing and independent nation, the Progressive Party has most often been the second largest political party in the country. It has often joined government coalitions with either the Independence Party on the centre-right, or with centre-left parties.[11]

In January 2009, it decided to change its party line on joining the European Union (EU) from being opposed to being in favour of EU accession, but with very strong caveats.[12][13] In retrospect of how these caveats are likely to be considered, the party has now changed its policy to one of firm opposition to EU membership, leaving the Social Democratic Alliance and Bright Future as the main parties in favour of Icelandic EU membership.[14]

Recent elections

In the 2003 parliamentary election, the Progressive Party received 17.2% of the vote and 12 seats in the Althing.[7] On 15 September 2004, Halldór Ásgrímsson of the Progressive Party took over as Prime Minister from Independence Party leader Davíð Oddsson.[7]

In the 2007 parliamentary election, the party dropped five seats to hold only seven seats, down from twelve. The coalition only held a one-seat majority in the Althing, and the Independence Party formed a coalition government with the Social Democratic Alliance with the deal being signed on 22 May, returning the Progressive Party to the opposition. When a centre-left minority government was formed in February 2009, in the wake of the 2008–2012 Icelandic financial crisis, the Progressive Party agreed to defend it from a no-confidence vote, but did not form part of the governing coalition.[15]

In the 2009 parliamentary election, the Progressive Party fared somewhat better, securing 14.8% of the vote, and increasing its number of seats from seven to nine. It remained in opposition, however, with a centre-left coalition of the Social Democratic Alliance and the Left-Green Movement continuing to govern with an increased majority.[16]

In the 2013 parliamentary election, the Progressive Party reached second place nationally, winning 24.4% of the vote and 9 seats. Following the election, a centre-right coalition government was formed between the Progressive Party and Independence Party, Sigmundur Davíð Gunnlaugsson of the Progressive Party appointed as Prime Minister.[17]

Electoral performance

Election Votes % Seats +/– Position Government
1919 3,115 22.2
7 / 26
 Increase 7 Increase 3rd Opposition
1923 8,062 26.6
10 / 28
 Increase 3 Increase 2nd Coalition
1927 9,532 29.8
13 / 28
 Increase 3 Increase 1st Coalition
1931 13,844 35.9
16 / 28
 Increase 3 Steady 1st Majority
1933 8,530 23.9
11 / 28
 Decrease 5 Decrease 2nd Coalition
1934 11,377 21.9
9 / 33
 Decrease 2 Steady 2nd Coalition
1937 14,556 24.9
12 / 33
 Increase 3 Increase 1st Minority
1942 (Jul) 16,033 27.6
14 / 33
 Increase 2 Steady 1st Opposition
1942 (Oct) 15,869 26.6
10 / 35
 Decrease 4 Decrease 2nd Opposition
1946 15,429 23.1
9 / 35
 Decrease 1 Steady 2nd Opposition
1949 17,659 24.5
11 / 35
 Increase 2 Steady 2nd Opposition
1953 16,959 21.9
10 / 35
 Decrease 1 Steady 2nd Coalition
1956 12,925 15.6
11 / 35
 Increase 1 Steady 2nd Coalition
1959 (Jun) 23,061 27.2
13 / 35
 Increase 2 Steady 2nd Opposition
1959 (Oct) 21,882 25.7
11 / 40
 Decrease 2 Steady 2nd Opposition
1963 25,217 28.2
13 / 40
 Increase 2 Steady 2nd Opposition
1967 27,029 28.1
12 / 40
 Decrease 1 Steady 2nd Opposition
1971 26,645 25.3
11 / 40
 Decrease 1 Steady 2nd Coalition
1974 28,381 24.9
11 / 40
 Steady 0 Steady 2nd Coalition
1978 20,656 16.9
8 / 40
 Decrease 3 Decrease 4th Coalition
1979 30,861 24.9
11 / 40
 Increase 3 Increase 2nd Opposition
1983 24,754 18.5
10 / 40
 Decrease 1 Steady 2nd Coalition
1987 28,902 18.9
8 / 42
 Decrease 2 Steady 2nd Coalition
1991 29,866 18.9
9 / 42
 Increase 1 Steady 2nd Opposition
1995 38,485 23.3
15 / 63
 Increase 6 Steady 2nd Coalition
1999 30,415 18.4
12 / 63
 Decrease 3 Decrease 3rd Coalition
2003 32,484 17.7
12 / 63
 Steady 0 Steady 3rd Coalition
2007 21,350 11.7
7 / 63
 Decrease 5 Decrease 4th Opposition
2009 27,699 14.8
9 / 63
 Increase 2 Steady 4th Opposition
2013 46,173 24.4
19 / 63
 Increase 10 Increase 2nd Coalition

Leadership

7 of its 12 chairmen have been prime ministers of Iceland:

In addition to those, Steingrímur Steinþórsson headed a government from 1950 to 1953.

See also

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/478375/Progressive-Party
  2. ↑ "Q&A: Iceland parliamentary elections". BBC News. 26 April 2013. Retrieved 13 December 2014.
  3. ↑ http://www.aecr.eu/icelandic-elections/
  4. ↑ http://grapevine.is/mag/column-opinion/2014/06/10/masters-of-peace-and-harmony/
  5. ↑ "Centre-right opposition wins election". BBC News. 28 April 2013. Retrieved 9 May 2013.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 Parties and Elections in Europe: The database about parliamentary elections and political parties in Europe, by Wolfram Nordsieck
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 Svante Ersson; Jan-Erik Lane (28 December 1998). Politics and Society in Western Europe. SAGE. p. 108. ISBN 978-0-7619-5862-8. Retrieved 17 August 2012.
  8. ↑ Christina Bergqvist (1 January 1999). Equal Democracies?: Gender and Politics in the Nordic Countries. Nordic Council of Ministers. p. 320. ISBN 978-82-00-12799-4.
  9. ↑ http://www.liberal-international.org/editorialIndex.asp?ia_id=523
  10. ↑ Hans Slomp (26 September 2011). Europe, A Political Profile: An American Companion to European Politics [2 volumes]: An American Companion to European Politics. ABC-CLIO. p. 680. ISBN 978-0-313-39182-8.
  11. ↑ Eiríkur Bergmann Einarsson; Eirikur Bergmann (31 January 2014). Iceland and the International Financial Crisis: Boom, Bust and Recovery. Palgrave Macmillan. p. 34. ISBN 978-1-137-33200-4.
  12. ↑ Dr Anders Wivel; Robert Steinmetz (28 March 2013). Small States in Europe: Challenges and Opportunities. Ashgate Publishing, Ltd. p. 211. ISBN 978-1-4094-9958-9.
  13. ↑ Progressives support Iceland EU entry IceNews, 17 January 2009
  14. ↑ Progressive Party General Meeting: No to EU Iceland Review Online. 9 February 2013. Accessed 14 March 2013
  15. ↑ "Iceland’s Government Discusses Continued Coalition". Iceland Review Online. 2009-04-27. Retrieved 2009-04-30.
  16. ↑ "Iceland’s PM: Optimistic after Talks with Left-Greens". Iceland Review Online. Retrieved 2009-04-30.
  17. ↑ "New Government Divvies Up The Ministries". The Reykjavík Grapevine. 22 May 2013. Retrieved 22 May 2013.

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