The Progressive Party (, FSF) is an agrarian political party in Iceland.
From 30 November 2017 until the 2024 election, the party was a coalition partner in government. The current chairman of the party is Lilja Dögg Alfreðsdóttir who was elected on 15 February 2026.
Throughout most of the 20th century, the party entered into coalitions with parties on both the Left and Right on the Icelandic political spectrum.
Throughout most of the 20th century the party was a centre-left party, with many progressives leading the party, including Hermann Jónasson, Eysteinn Jónsson, Ásgeir Ásgeirsson, Ólafur Jóhannesson and Steingrímur Hermannsson. Steingrímur left office as leader in 1994, and when the new leader Halldór Ásgrímsson entered a coalition with the Independence Party in 1995, many cited the party going from the centre-left to the centre-right. Following Sigmundur Davíð Gunnlaugsson being elected leader in 2009, the party moved to a much more populist based, and left its centre approach. Later leaders since 2016, Sigurður Ingi Jóhannsson, and Lilja Dögg have taken the party back to the centre.
History
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 an agrarian 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, the Farmers' Party (Bændaflokkur) and the Independent Farmers (Óháðir bændur). In 1956 the party almost agreed to an aborted merger with the Social Democratic Party. 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. 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.
1970s Following the 1971 parliamentary election, the Progressive Party formed a government with the People's Alliance and Union of Liberals and Leftists, with Progressive Party chairman Ólafur Jóhannesson serving as prime minister.
The 1974 parliamentary election led to a coalition government of the Independence Party and Progressive Party led by Geir Hallgrímsson.
The 1978 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.
The snap 1979 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 Minister Gunnar Thoroddsen, Progressive Party and People's Alliance.
1980s The 1983 parliamentary election resulted in Progressive Party leader Steingrímur Hermannsson becoming prime minister in coalition with the Independence Party.
The 1987 parliamentary election in May saw a coalition being formed in July of that year led by Thorsteinn 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.
1990s Following the 1991 parliamentary election, the Progressive Party, with Steingrímur Hermannsson as the outgoing Prime Minister, was in opposition, with the government being formed by Independence Party leader Davíð Oddsson. Steingrímur resigned as leader in 1994, with deputy leader Halldór Ásgrímsson elected leader.
In the 1995 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 the 1999 election. Halldór's direction to the right cited in the party changing from the centre-left to the centre-right.
2000s In the 2003 parliamentary election, the Progressive Party received 17.2% of the vote and 12 seats in the Althing. On 15 September 2004, Halldór Ásgrímsson of the Progressive Party took over as prime minister from Davíð Oddsson. 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 leader Jón 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 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. Party leader Jón Sigurðsson did not get a seat in parliament, and resigned and was succeeded by long-time cabinet minister Guðni Ágústsson in 2007. Guðni resigned as leader out of nowhere in November 2008, in the wake of the 2008–2011 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.
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.Progressives support Iceland EU entry IceNews, 17 January 2009 The party later changed its policy to one of firm opposition to EU membership.Progressive Party General Meeting: No to EU Iceland Review Online. 9 February 2013. Accessed 14 March 2013 In the wake of the 2008–2011 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." At the time, the party moved completely from the centre and became much more of a plain right wing party.
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.
2010s In the 2013 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. Sigmundur Davíð was a very polarising figure in Iceland during his tenure 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 the Panama Papers release in April 2016, which followed his resignation. 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, the Centre Party (Miðflokkurinn). In 2017, the Progressive Party entered a coalition with the Independence Party and the Left Green movement.
2020s
After the 2021 parliamentary election, the new government was, just like the previous government, a three-party coalition of the Independence Party, the Progressive Party and the Left-Green Movement, headed by Prime Minister Katrín Jakobsdóttir of Left-Green Movement. 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. Many have called upon Sigurður Ingi to resign as leader.
Election results Election Leader Votes % Seats +/– Position Government 1919 Ólafur Briem 3,115 22.19 New 3rd 1923 Þorleifur Jónsson 8,062 26.55 4 2nd 1927 Tryggvi Þórhallsson 9,532 29.78 4 1st 1931 13,844 35.92 4 1st 1933 Ásgeir Ásgeirsson 8,530 23.91 6 2nd 1934 Hermann Jónasson 11,377 21.91 2 2nd 1937 Jónas frá Hriflu 14,556 24.92 4 1st 1942 (Jul) 16,033 27.58 1 1st 1942 (Oct) 15,869 26.60 5 2nd 1946 Hermann Jónasson 15,429 23.06 2 2nd 1949 17,659 24.45 4 2nd 1953 16,959 21.91 1 2nd 1956 12,925 15.63 1 2nd 1959 (Jun) 23,061 27.20 2 2nd 1959 (Oct) 21,882 25.71 2 2nd 1963 Eysteinn Jónsson 25,217 28.222 2 2nd 1967 27,029 28.13 1 2nd 1971 Ólafur Jóhannesson 26,645 25.28 1 2nd 1974 28,381 24.87 0 2nd 1978 20,656 16.90 5 4th 1979 Steingrímur Hermannsson 30,861 24.94 5 2nd 1983 24,754 19.05 3 2nd 1987 28,902 18.92 1 2nd 1991 29,866 18.93 0 2nd 1995 Halldór Ásgrímsson 38,485 23.32 2 2nd 1999 30,415 18.35 3 3rd 2003 32,484 17.73 0 3rd 2007 Jón Sigurðsson 21,350 11.72 5 4th 2009 Sigmundur Davíð Gunnlaugsson 27,699 14.80 2 4th 2013 46,173 24.43 10 2nd 2016 Sigurður Ingi Jóhannsson 21,791 11.49 11 4th 2017 21,016 10.71 0 4th 2021 34,501 17.27 5 2nd 2024 16,578 7.80 8 6th
Members of Parliament Until the elections in 2024, the Progressive Party had thirteen members of parliament. Member of ParliamentSinceTitleConstituencySigurður Ingi Jóhannsson2009Party Chair Minister of InfrastructureSouthLilja Dögg Alfreðsdóttir2016Party Vice-chair Minister of Culture and BusinessReykjavik SouthÁsmundur Einar Daðason2017Party Secretary Minister of Education and Children affairsReykjavik NorthWillum Þór Þórsson2017Minister of HealthSouthwestIngibjörg Isaksen2021Leader of the Parliamentary Group NortheastStefán Vagn Stefánsson2021NorthwestLilja Rannveig Sigurgeirsdóttir2021NorthwestHalla Signý Kristjánsdóttir2017NorthwestJóhann Friðrik Friðriksson2021SouthHafdís Hrönn Hafsteinsdóttir2021SouthÁgúst Bjarni Garðarsson2021SouthwestLíneik Anna Sævarsdóttir2017NortheastÞórarinn Ingi Pétursson2021Northeast
Leadership NºChairmanTook officeLeft officePrime Ministry1Ólafur Briem(1851–1925)191619202Sveinn Ólafsson(1863–1949)192019223Þorleifur Jónsson(1864–1956)192219284Tryggvi Þórhallsson(1889–1935)192819321927-19325Ásgeir Ásgeirsson(1894–1972)193219331932-19346Sigurður Kristinsson(1880–1963)193319347Jónas Jónsson(1885–1968)193419448Hermann Jónasson(1896–1976)194419621934-1942, 1956-19589 Eysteinn Jónsson(1906–1993)1962196810Ólafur Jóhannesson(1913–1984)196819791971-1974,