Ráðuneytin

Ráðuneytin is the Icelandic term for the country’s ministries, the executive departments of government. The plural form, Ráðuneytin, refers to the collection of ministries that together form the government. Each ministry is led by a minister who sits in the cabinet and is appointed by the prime minister. Ministers are officially responsible to the Alþingi, Iceland’s parliament.

The ministries propose policy, draft legislation, prepare annual budgets, and oversee public agencies and programs within their remit. They administer and regulate public services, implement laws, and coordinate policy across government. Each ministry employs civil servants and is organized into departments or units to carry out its functions.

Organization and process: The Prime Minister’s Office and the cabinet coordinate policy priorities; major decisions, including budget proposals and inter-ministerial initiatives, are taken by the government and require parliamentary approval. The ministries work with municipalities, schools, hospitals, and agencies, and are subject to parliamentary scrutiny through committees and audits.

Today, the Ráðuneytin form the core of Iceland’s executive branch, covering fields such as finance, foreign affairs, education, health, justice, environment, and social welfare. The structure reflects Iceland’s constitutional framework and the workings of a parliamentary system, where ministers are appointed by the prime minister and operate within the oversight of the Alþingi.