Independence Party (Iceland)

Olafur Thors was party leader from 1934 to 1961.

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The Independence Party (Icelandic: Sjálfstæðisflokkurinn) is a centre-right political party in Iceland.^[1][2] They are liberal conservatives^[3] who are eurosceptic (meaning they don't want Iceland to join the European Union).^[3][4][5] The party is the one of the largest in Iceland. It is currently tied with the most seats in the Althing. The chairman of the party is Bjarni Benediktsson and vice chairman is Þórdís Kolbrún Reykfjörð Gylfadóttir.

The party was formed in 1929 as a result of two parties merging. The newly formed party wanted Iceland to be independent. This was later achieved in 1944. From 1929 to 2009, the Independence Party was the dominant party in the Althing.

The party is economically liberal, and is against getting involved with other countries' problems. The party is mainly supported by fishermen and high-earners,^[6] particularly in Reykjavík.^[7] The party also wants Iceland to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).

References

1. "Centre-left wins Iceland election". BBC News. 26 April 2009.
2. Waterfield, Bruno (26 April 2009). "Iceland elects new Left-wing government". The Daily Telegraph.
3. Parties and Elections in Europe: The database about parliamentary elections and political parties in Europe, by Wolfram Nordsieck
4. Steed, Michael (1988). "Identifying Liberal Parties". In Kirchner, Emil Joseph (ed.). Liberal Parties in Western Europe. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. pp. 376–95. ISBN 978-0-521-32394-9.
5. Nergelius, Joakim (2006). Nordic and other European constitutional traditions. Leiden: Martinus Nijhoff Publishers. p. 34. ISBN 978-90-04-15171-0.
6. Siaroff, Alan (2000). Comparative European party systems: an analysis of parliamentary elections. London: Taylor & Francis. p. 295. ISBN 978-0-8153-2930-5.
7. Tomasson (1980), p. 42