Union of Liberals and Leftists

The Union of Liberals and Leftists (Icelandic: Samtök frjálslyndra og vinstrimanna) was a social-liberal[1] political party in Iceland.

Union of Liberals and Leftists
Founded1970
HeadquartersReykjavík
IdeologySocial liberalism
Political positionCentre to centre-left

History edit

The party was established in 1970 by dissidents from the People's Alliance who had formerly been members of the National Preservation Party.[2][3] Its members had contested the 1967 elections as independents, but failed to win a seat. It won five seats in the 1971 elections, and joined Ólafur Jóhannesson's first government,[4] with two ministers. However, it was reduced to two seats in the 1974 elections, and failed to win a seat in the 1978 elections. It did not contest the 1979 elections.[2]

Later President of Iceland Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson was a member of this party together with later Foreign Affairs minister Jón Baldvin Hannibalsson.

References edit

  1. ^ Agust Thor Arnason (2006). "The European Union Seen From the Top – the View of an Inside-Outsider". In Joakim Nergelius (ed.). Nordic And Other European Constitutional Traditions. Martinus Nijhoff Publishers. p. 31. ISBN 90-04-15171-0.
  2. ^ a b Vincent E McHale (1983) Political parties of Europe, Greenwood Press, p527 ISBN 0-313-23804-9
  3. ^ McHale, p523
  4. ^ McHale, p530