Legal framework of the Office of the President

Principal laws and sources of law applying to the Office of the President of Iceland

The Constitution of the Republic of Iceland contains important provisions concerning the President of Iceland and his role in the constitutional structure of the state. These provisions cover the presidential elections, presidential immunity, the residence and aspects of the functions of the president,e.g. as regards his or her role in approving legislation, pardoning convicted persons, dissolving the Althingi, enacting provisory legislation, etc.

Other legislation applying to the Office of the President includes the President of Iceland Act, No. 10 of 26 February 1990 and the Public Employees’ Rights and Obligations Act, No. 70 of 11 June, 1996.

Amongst other sources of law, mention may be made of the Presidential Letter on the Icelandic Order of the Falcon, the Presidential Letter on the Functions of the Falcon Order Council, the Presidential Ruling on the Presidential Coat of Arms and the Presidential Ruling on the Division of Political Responsibilities between the Government Ministries. All these documents may be found on the website of the Althingi; those pertaining to the Order of the Falcon are also accessible on this website.

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