framkvæmdavaldið

Framkvæmdavaldið refers to the executive power or the executive branch of government. It is responsible for daily administration, policy initiation and implementation, and the conduct of foreign affairs and national budgets. In most constitutional systems, the executive proposes laws, runs public administration, and ensures that laws passed by the legislature are put into effect. The executive is typically headed by a prime minister or equivalent figure, who leads a cabinet of ministers and bears responsibility for government policy.

In parliamentary systems, the cabinet is usually drawn from the legislature and remains in office only while it has the confidence of the parliament. The executive acts in the name of the state, with ministers accountable to the legislature and subject to parliamentary oversight, votes of no confidence, and constitutional constraints. The relationship between the executive, the legislature, and the judiciary forms the core of checks and balances in the constitutional order.

In Icelandic politics, framkvæmdavaldið is exercised by the government (ríkisstjórnin), headed by the Prime Minister. The President (Forseti Íslands) serves as the head of state with largely ceremonial duties and formal responsibilities, such as certain constitutional functions and international representation, while the government handles policy and administration. Ministers are responsible for their ministries, and the cabinet acts collectively. A loss of parliamentary support can lead to resignation, a change of government, or elections, depending on constitutional and legal provisions. The judiciary and Alþingi (the legislature) provide oversight and limits on executive action to maintain constitutional legality.