Ríkisstjórnum

Ríkisstjórnum is the Icelandic term in its dative plural form for governments, referring to the collective executive leadership of a country. The concept denotes the body of ministers and their offices that run the state on a daily basis and encompasses the duration of a particular administration. In parliamentary systems, the government is usually headed by a prime minister and includes a cabinet of ministers who oversee individual ministries, coordinate policy, and implement laws.

The cabinet is the central decision-making body of the executive. Ministers are responsible for public administration within their portfolios, for proposing legislation, and for ensuring that policy is carried out across government agencies. Governments are typically formed after elections, often through negotiations to create a functioning majority in a multiparty parliament. They are generally required to retain the confidence of the legislature and can be removed through a vote of no confidence or at the end of a term.

In Iceland, the President appoints the Prime Minister, who then forms the cabinet with ministers selected in consultation with party leaders and subject to parliamentary approval. The cabinet is collectively responsible to Alþingi, Iceland’s parliament, and presents budgets and policy programs to the legislature. The relationship between the government and parliament provides a system of checks and balances intended to ensure accountability and democratic legitimacy.