Sjálfstjórn og bolmagn sveitarfélaga

In 2022, 150 years had passed since formal municipal self-government was established in Iceland with the decrees on local governance and on the administration of Reykjavík. These milestones laid the foundation for the municipal system Icelanders know today.

The structure of local government in Iceland has changed markedly in recent decades — in step with the evolving role of the public sector, dramatic shifts in population patterns, the consolidation of municipalities, and the transfer of responsibilities from the state to local authorities. Yet, despite these profound developments, Icelandic municipal governance remains surprisingly under-researched. 

The aim of this book is to confront that gap. Drawing on available research and broader theories about the role and purpose of municipalities, it offers a thorough assessment of the current state of Iceland’s local government system. The book is intended as a contribution to the scholarly analysis of how Iceland’s municipal framework fulfils — or falls short of — the functions it is generally expected to serve.

ISBN 9789935233516

Authors Eva Marín Hlynsdóttir et al. 

Publisher The University of Iceland Press, 2025

Format Paperback, 23 cm

Pages 187