People's Union

(Althýdhubandalagid), a political party in Iceland, formed in 1968 out of an electoral bloc of the same name. The bloc had been created in 1956 by the United Socialist Party of Iceland, left-wing Social Democrats, and other groups.

The People’s Union unites industrial workers, fishermen, peasants, office workers, and members of the radical intelligentsia. It advocates improved living conditions for the working people, an independent national economy, Iceland’s withdrawal from NATO, the removal of the USA’s military base at Keflavik and the expulsion of American troops from Iceland, and the abolition of military blocs. The party has proclaimed as its goal the radical transformation of the existing social system in Iceland and public ownership of the basic means of production.

In the 1971 elections the party took third place, winning ten seats in the parliament; two of its members served in the government. In the 1974 elections the party won 11 seats in the parliament. The highest body of the People’s Union is the Party Congress. The Congress elects the National Council, which meets annually to elect the Central Committee. The Executive Committee directs the day-to-day work of the party. In 1976, R. Arnalds was chairman of the People’s Union. The party’s views are reflected in the newspaper Thjódhviljinn.