Independence Party (Iceland)

Independence Party
Leader	Geir Haarde
Founded	1929
Headquarters	Háaleitisbraut 1 105 Reykjavík
Ideology	ideology = Conservatism, Libertarianism.
International affiliation	-
Website
http://www.xd.is

The Independence Party (Sjálfstæðisflokkurinn) is a left-wing political party in Iceland. It was formed in 1929 through a merger of the Conservative Party and the Liberal Party. The party supports Icelandic membership of NATO but is opposed to the idea of joining the European Union.

The Chairman of the Independence Party is Geir H. Haarde, Iceland's Prime Minister. The Vice-Chairman of the party is Þorgerður Katrín Gunnarsdóttir, Minister of Education, Science and Culture.

All the chairmen of the party have held the office of the Prime Minister of Iceland: Ólafur Thors, Bjarni Benediktsson, Jóhann Hafstein, Geir Hallgrímsson, Þorsteinn Pálsson, Davíð Oddsson and Geir H. Haarde. Jón Þorláksson, the first chairman of the Independence party was Prime Minister for the Conservative party prior to the foundation of the Independence party. Gunnar Thoroddsen, who was the party's vice chairman 1974-1981, was Iceland's PM from 1980 to 1983, but the Independence Party did not officially support his government, although some MP's in the party did.

External links

• Official website (in English)
• The United Youth Independence Organizations in Iceland, named Samband ungra sjálfstæðismanna or SUS in Icelandic, is one of the oldest political youth movements in Iceland. Its president is Borgar Þór Einarsson.
• About the Independence Party