Fulltrúalandslag

Fulltrúalandslag is the Icelandic term for a representative form of government in which political power is exercised through elected representatives rather than directly by citizens. It is a hallmark of modern liberal democracies, though there are variations in how representation is organized and how governments are formed.

Key features include that citizens elect representatives to a legislature who authorize the government to administer public affairs; legislatures make laws, approve budgets, and provide oversight; executives are typically chosen from or approved by the legislature; elections are held at regular intervals; representation is usually organized through political parties; the system relies on checks and balances, the rule of law, an independent judiciary, and civil rights.

Representative systems may be parliamentary or presidential, depending on how the executive derives its legitimacy. In parliamentary systems, the government is drawn from the legislature and can be removed by a vote of no confidence; in presidential systems, the president is elected separately from the legislature. Many representative systems use proportional representation or mixed methods to translate votes into seats, often employing parties’ lists or candidates and sometimes using districting and leveling mechanisms to improve proportionality.

In Iceland, fulltrúalandslag is implemented through Alþingi, the parliament, elected by proportional representation in multi-member constituencies, with a strong emphasis on party representation and legislative oversight of the government. The president serves a largely ceremonial role, while the prime minister and cabinet head the government.