Progressive Party Framsóknarflokkurinn | |
|---|---|
.svg) | |
| Chairperson | Sigurður Ingi Jóhannsson |
| Vice-chairperson | Lilja Dögg Alfreðsdóttir |
| Chairperson of the municipal council | Einar Freyr Elínarson |
| Founded | 16 December 1916 |
| Merger of | |
| Headquarters | Bæjarlind 14-16, 201Kópavogur |
| Youth wing | Association of Young People in the Progressive Party |
| Ideology | |
| Political position | Centre[4] tocentre-right[5] |
| International affiliation | Liberal International |
| Nordic affiliation | Centre Group |
| Colours | Green |
| Seats inParliament | 5 / 63 |
| Election symbol | |
.svg){kind=logo} | |
| Website | |
| xb framsokn | |
TheProgressive Party (Icelandic:Framsóknarflokkurinn,FSF) is anagrarian[1][2]political party in Iceland.
From 30 November 2017 until the2024 election, the party was a coalition partner in theBjarni Benediktsson government. The current chairman of the party isSigurður Ingi Jóhannsson who was elected on 2 October 2016. His predecessor wasSigmundur Davíð Gunnlaugsson, who was elected on 18 January 2009 and wasPrime Minister of Iceland from 23 May 2013 to 5 April 2016.
Throughout most of the 20th century, the party entered into coalitions with parties on both the Left and Right on the Icelandic political spectrum.[6][7]
Troughout most of the 20th century the party was a centre-left party, with many progessive and social democratic politicians leading the party, includingHermann Jónasson,Eysteinn Jónsson,Ásgeir Ásgeirsson,Ólafur Jóhannesson andSteingrímur Hermannsson. Steingrímur left office as leader in 1994, and when the new leaderHalldór Ásgrímsson entered a coalition with the Independence Party in 1995, many cited the party going from the centre-left to the centre-right.[8] FollowingSigmundur Davíð Gunnlaugsson being elected leader in 2009, the party moved to a much more populist right wing based, and left its centre approach. Current leader since 2016,Sigurður Ingi Jóhannsson has taken the party back to the centre.[9]
The Progressive Party was founded to represent Iceland's farmer class, which went from being dominant from settlement to the late 19th century to rapidly dwindling in the early 20th century as a result of industrialization and urbanization. Its primary support still comes from the rural areas of Iceland and its policy roots still stem from its origin as anagrarian party, although it has since come to self-identify as a liberal party, though this is disputed outside of the party. It was founded in 1916 as a merger of two agrarian parties,[10] theFarmers' Party (Bændaflokkur) and theIndependent Farmers (Óháðir bændur). In 1956 the party almost agreed to an aborted merger with theSocial Democratic Party.[11] 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.[12] It has often joined government coalitions with either theIndependence Party on thecentre-right, or withcentre-left parties.[13] During the period 1927–1990, the Progressive Party held the prime minister post for thirty years and spent more than two-thirds of the time in coalition government.[12]
Following the1971 parliamentary election, the Progressive Party formed a government with thePeople's Alliance andUnion of Liberals and Leftists, with Progressive Party chairmanÓlafur Jóhannesson serving as prime minister.[14]
The1974 parliamentary election led to a coalition government of the Independence Party and Progressive Party led byGeir Hallgrímsson.[14]
The1978 parliamentary election returned Ólafur Jóhannesson to the role of prime minister, leading a coalition containing the Progressive Party, People's Alliance and Social Democratic Party after two months of coalition negotiations.[14]
The snap1979 parliamentary election caused by the withdrawal of the Social Democrats from government led to a new government being formed in February 1980 by the Independence Party of Prime MinisterGunnar Thoroddsen, Progressive Party and People's Alliance.[14]
The1983 parliamentary election resulted in Progressive Party leaderSteingrímur Hermannsson becoming prime minister in coalition with the Independence Party.[14]
The1987 parliamentary election in May saw a coalition being formed in July of that year led byThorsteinn Pálsson of the Independence Party, with the Progressive Party and Social Democratic Party as junior partners. However, in September 1988, a new government was formed by the Progressive Party's Steingrímur Hermannsson with the Social Democrats and People's Alliance.[14]
Following the1991 parliamentary election, the Progressive Party, withSteingrímur Hermannsson as the outgoing Prime Minister, was in opposition, with the government being formed by Independence Party leaderDavíð Oddsson.[14] Steingrímur resigned as leader in 1994, with deputy leaderHalldór Ásgrímsson elected leader.
In the1995 parliamentary election, Davíð Oddsson remained as prime minister, with the Progressive Party returning to government as junior coalition partner to the conservative Independence Party, a coalition which continued after the1999 election.[14] Halldór's direction to the right cited in the party changing from the centre-left to the centre-right.
In the2003 parliamentary election, the Progressive Party received 17.2% of the vote and 12 seats in theAlthing.[1] On 15 September 2004,Halldór Ásgrímsson of the Progressive Party took over as prime minister from Davíð Oddsson.[1] Halldór Ásgrímsson announced his intention to resign on 5 June 2006 following the party's poor results in the 2006 municipal elections, and low approval ratings. The coalition remained allied with the Independence Party chairman,Geir H. Haarde, as prime minister. The Progressive Party leaderJón Sigurðsson was Minister of Industry and Commerce, until a coalition of the Independence Party and the Social Democratic Alliance took over after the elections in 2007.
In the2007 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. Party leader Jón Sigurðsson did not get a seat in parliament, and resigned and was succeeded by long-time cabinet ministerGuðni Ágústsson in 2007. Guðni resigned as leader out of nowhere in November 2008, in the wake of the2008–2011 Icelandic financial crisis, saying that he was not the right person to lead the party at the moment. Former cabinet minister Valgerður Sverrisdóttir took over as leader, and called a leadership election where she would not be standing. Former news reporter,Sigmundur Davíð Gunnlaugsson was unexpectedly and narrowly elected leader. When a centre-left minority government was formed in February 2009, the Progressive Party agreed to defend it from a no-confidence vote, but did not form part of the governing coalition.[15]
In January 2009, it decided to change its party line on joining theEuropean Union (EU) from being opposed to being in favour ofEU accession, but with very strong caveats.[16][17] The party later changed its policy to one of firm opposition to EU membership.[18] In the wake of the2008–2011 Icelandic financial crisis, the Progressive Party became more populist. According to political scientist Eiríkur Bergmann, "a completely renewed leadership took over the country’s old agrarian party, the Progressive Party (Framsóknarflokkurinn— PP), which was rapidly retuned in a more populist direction; geared against foreign creditors, international institutions and eventually partly towards anti- Muslim rhetoric, which until then had been absent in the country—there is no significant Muslim minority in Iceland. Under the new post-crisis leader- ship, the Progressive Party thus moved closer to populist parties in Europe."[8] At the time, the party moved completely from the centre and became much more of a plain right wing party.
In the2009 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 theLeft-Green Movement continuing to govern with an increased majority.[19]
In the2013 parliamentary election, the Progressive Party reached second place nationally, winning 24.4% of the vote and 19 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.[20] Sigmundur Davíð was a very polarising figure in Iceland during his tenture as prime minister, and suffered low approval ratings. Sigmundur Davíð was ousted as leader in September 2016 of the party shortly after he was implicated in scandal and ethical quandaries in thePanama Papers release in April 2016, which followed his resignation.[21] Sigurður Ingi Jóhannsson defeated him in the leadership spill election, and took the party to a more grounded centre approach.
The Progressive Party split in 2017 when Sigmundur Davíð created his own party, theCentre Party (Miðflokkurinn).[22] In 2017, the Progessive Party entered a coalition with the Independence Party and the Left Green movement.
After the 2021 parliamentaryelection, the new government was, just like the previous government, a three-party coalition of the Independence Party, the Progressive Party and theLeft-Green Movement, headed by Prime MinisterKatrín Jakobsdóttir of Left-Green Movement.[23] In the election, the Progressives suffered a big increase in votes, reaching 17% and coming in second.
Following the fall of the coalition in October 2024, a snap election was called for November. In the election, the Progressives suffered a very big loss, losing eight seats and coming in sixth. During the election, the party took a turn in immigration policies, becoming pro-immigration.[24] Many have called upon Sigurður Ingi to resign as leader.
| Election | Leader | Votes | % | Seats | +/– | Position | Government |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1919 | Ólafur Briem | 3,115 | 22.19 | 11 / 40 | New |  3rd | Opposition |
| 1923 | Þorleifur Jónsson | 8,062 | 26.55 | 15 / 42 |  4 | 2nd | Coalition |
| 1927 | Tryggvi Þórhallsson | 9,532 | 29.78 | 19 / 42 | 4 | 1st | Coalition |
| 1931 | 13,844 | 35.92 | 23 / 42 | 4 | 1st | Majority | |
| 1933 | Ásgeir Ásgeirsson | 8,530 | 23.91 | 17 / 42 |  6 | 2nd | Coalition |
| 1934 | Hermann Jónasson | 11,377 | 21.91 | 15 / 49 | 2 | 2nd | Coalition |
| 1937 | Jónas frá Hriflu | 14,556 | 24.92 | 19 / 49 | 4 | 1st | Minority |
| 1942 (Jul) | 16,033 | 27.58 | 20 / 49 | 1 | 1st | Opposition | |
| 1942 (Oct) | 15,869 | 26.60 | 15 / 52 | 5 | 2nd | Opposition | |
| 1946 | Hermann Jónasson | 15,429 | 23.06 | 13 / 52 | 2 | 2nd | Opposition |
| 1949 | 17,659 | 24.45 | 17 / 52 | 4 | 2nd | Opposition | |
| 1953 | 16,959 | 21.91 | 16 / 52 | 1 | 2nd | Coalition | |
| 1956 | 12,925 | 15.63 | 17 / 52 | 1 | 2nd | Coalition | |
| 1959 (Jun) | 23,061 | 27.20 | 19 / 52 | 2 | 2nd | Opposition | |
| 1959 (Oct) | 21,882 | 25.71 | 17 / 60 | 2 | 2nd | Opposition | |
| 1963 | Eysteinn Jónsson | 25,217 | 28.222 | 19 / 60 | 2 | 2nd | Opposition |
| 1967 | 27,029 | 28.13 | 18 / 60 | 1 | 2nd | Opposition | |
| 1971 | Ólafur Jóhannesson | 26,645 | 25.28 | 17 / 60 | 1 | 2nd | Coalition |
| 1974 | 28,381 | 24.87 | 17 / 60 | 0 | 2nd | Coalition | |
| 1978 | 20,656 | 16.90 | 12 / 60 | 5 | 4th | Coalition | |
| 1979 | Steingrímur Hermannsson | 30,861 | 24.94 | 17 / 60 | 5 | 2nd | Opposition |
| 1983 | 24,754 | 19.05 | 14 / 60 | 3 | 2nd | Coalition | |
| 1987 | 28,902 | 18.92 | 13 / 63 | 1 | 2nd | Coalition | |
| 1991 | 29,866 | 18.93 | 13 / 63 | 0 | 2nd | Opposition | |
| 1995 | Halldór Ásgrímsson | 38,485 | 23.32 | 15 / 63 | 2 | 2nd | Coalition |
| 1999 | 30,415 | 18.35 | 12 / 63 | 3 | 3rd | Coalition | |
| 2003 | 32,484 | 17.73 | 12 / 63 | 0 | 3rd | Coalition | |
| 2007 | Jón Sigurðsson | 21,350 | 11.72 | 7 / 63 | 5 | 4th | Opposition |
| 2009 | Sigmundur Davíð Gunnlaugsson | 27,699 | 14.80 | 9 / 63 | 2 | 4th | Opposition |
| 2013 | 46,173 | 24.43 | 19 / 63 | 10 | 2nd | Coalition | |
| 2016 | Sigurður Ingi Jóhannsson | 21,791 | 11.49 | 8 / 63 | 11 | 4th | Opposition |
| 2017 | 21,016 | 10.71 | 8 / 63 | 0 | 4th | Coalition | |
| 2021 | 34,501 | 17.27 | 13 / 63 | 5 | 2nd | Coalition | |
| 2024 | 16,578 | 7.80 | 5 / 63 | 8 | 6th | Opposition |
Until the elections in 2024, the Progressive Party had thirteen members of parliament.[25]
| Member of Parliament | Since | Title | Constituency | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sigurður Ingi Jóhannsson |  | 2009 | Party Chair Minister of Infrastructure | South |
| Lilja Dögg Alfreðsdóttir |  | 2016 | Party Vice-chair Minister of Culture and Business | Reykjavik South |
| Ásmundur Einar Daðason |  | 2017 | Party Secretary Minister of Education and Children affairs | Reykjavik North |
| Willum Þór Þórsson |  | 2017 | Minister of Health | Southwest |
| Ingibjörg Isaksen | 2021 | Leader of the Parliamentary Group | Northeast | |
| Stefán Vagn Stefánsson | 2021 | Northwest | ||
| Lilja Rannveig Sigurgeirsdóttir | 2021 | Northwest | ||
| Halla Signý Kristjánsdóttir |  | 2017 | Northwest | |
| Jóhann Friðrik Friðriksson | 2021 | South | ||
| Hafdís Hrönn Hafsteinsdóttir | 2021 | South | ||
| Ágúst Bjarni Garðarsson | 2021 | Southwest | ||
| Líneik Anna Sævarsdóttir | .jpg) | 2017 | Northeast | |
| Þórarinn Ingi Pétursson | 2021 | Northeast | ||
| Nº | Chairman | Took office | Left office | Prime Ministry | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  | Ólafur Briem (1851–1925) | 1916 | 1920 | |
| 2 | | Sveinn Ólafsson (1863–1949) | 1920 | 1922 | |
| 3 | | Þorleifur Jónsson (1864–1956) | 1922 | 1928 | |
| 4 |  | Tryggvi Þórhallsson (1889–1935) | 1928 | 1932 | 1927-1932 |
| 5 |  | Ásgeir Ásgeirsson (1894–1972) | 1932 | 1933 | 1932-1934 |
| 6 | | Sigurður Kristinsson (1880–1963) | 1933 | 1934 | |
| 7 | .jpg) | Jónas Jónsson (1885–1968) | 1934 | 1944 | |
| 8 |  | Hermann Jónasson (1896–1976) | 1944 | 1962 | 1934-1942, 1956-1958 |
| 9 | Eysteinn Jónsson (1906–1993) | 1962 | 1968 | ||
| 10 | Ólafur Jóhannesson (1913–1984) | 1968 | 1979 | 1971-1974, 1978-1979 | |
| 11 | .jpg) | Steingrímur Hermannsson (1928–2010) | 1979 | 1994 | 1983-1987, 1988-1991 |
| 12 | .jpg) | Halldór Ásgrímsson (1947–2015) | 1994 | 2006 | 2004-2006 |
| 13 | Jón Sigurðsson (1946–2021) | 2006 | 2007 | ||
| 14 | | Guðni Ágústsson (born 1949) | 2007 | 2008 | |
| 15 |  | Valgerður Sverrisdóttir (born 1950) | 2008 | 2009 | |
| 16 | .jpg) | Sigmundur Davíð Gunnlaugsson (born 1975) | 2009 | 2016 | 2013-2016 |
| 17 |  | Sigurður Ingi Jóhannsson (born 1962) | 2016 | Present | 2016-2017 |
| Prime Minister | Took office | Left office | |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Steingrímur Steinþórsson (1893–1966) | 1950 | 1953 |
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