# Minister of Justice (Iceland)

The Minister of Justice (Icelandic: Dómsmálaráðherra) in Iceland is the head of the Ministry of Justice and is a member of the Cabinet of Iceland. The Ministry was formed in 2017, and the current Minister is Þorbjörg Sigríður Gunnlaugsdóttir.

## History

The Minister of Justice and Ecclesiastical Affairs was the head of the Ministry of Justice and Ecclesiastical Affairs, which existed between 1 January 1970 and 1 October 2009. Before the Cabinet of Iceland Act no. 73/1969 took effect, ministries in Iceland had not existed separately from the ministers. Between 4 January 1917 and 1 January 1970, the minister responsible for justice was titled Minister of Justice and the minister responsible for ecclesiastical affairs was titled Minister of Ecclesiastical Affairs. In cases where one person was responsible for both, he or she was titled Minister of Justice and Ecclesiastical Affairs. On 1 October 2009, the position became Minister of Justice and Human Rights (Icelandic: Dómsmála- og mannréttindaráðherra) and the ministry itself was renamed accordingly. On 31 December 2010, the Ministry of Justice and Human Rights was merged with the Ministry of Transport, Communications and Local Government to form the Ministry of the Interior. On 1 May 2017 the Ministry of the Interior was again split up into the Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Transport and Local Government.

## List of ministers
### Minister of Justice (4 January 1917 – 1 January 1970)

| Nº | Minister | Took office | Left office | Duration | Party |
| 1 | Jón Magnússon (1859–1926) | 4 January 1917 | 7 March 1922 | 5 years, 2 months, 3 days (1,888 days) | |
| 2 | Sigurður Eggerz (1875–1945) | 7 March 1922 | 22 March 1924 | 2 years, 15 days (746 days) | |
| (1) | Jón Magnússon (1859–1926) | 22 March 1924 | 23 June 1926 | 2 years, 3 months, 1 day (823 days) | |
| 3 | Magnús Guðmundsson (1879–1937) | 23 June 1926 | 28 August 1927 | 1 year, 2 months, 5 days (431 days) | |
| 4 | Jónas Jónsson (1885–1968) | 28 August 1927 | 20 April 1931 | 3 years, 7 months, 23 days (1,331 days) | |
| 5 | Tryggvi Þórhallsson (1889–1935) | 20 April 1931 | 20 August 1931 | 4 months (122 days) | |
| (4) | Jónas Jónsson (1885–1968) | 20 August 1931 | 3 June 1932 | 9 months, 14 days (288 days) | |
| (3) | Magnús Guðmundsson (1879–1937) | 3 June 1932 | 14 November 1932 | 5 months, 11 days (164 days) | |
| 6 | Ólafur Thors (1892–1964) | 14 November 1932 | 23 December 1932 | 1 month, 9 days (39 days) | IP |
| (3) | Magnús Guðmundsson (1879–1937) | 23 December 1932 | 28 July 1934 | 1 year, 7 months, 5 days (582 days) | |
| 7 | Hermann Jónasson (1896–1976) | 28 July 1934 | 16 May 1942 | 7 years, 9 months, 18 days (2,849 days) | PP |
| 8 | Jakob Möller (1880–1955) | 16 May 1942 | 16 December 1942 | 7 months (214 days) | |
| 9 | Einar Arnórsson (1880–1955) | 16 December 1942 | 21 September 1944 | 1 year, 9 months, 5 days (645 days) | |
| 10 | Björn Þórðarson (1879–1963) | 21 September 1944 | 21 October 1944 | 1 month (30 days) | independent |
| 11 | Finnur Jónsson (1894–1951) | 21 October 1944 | 4 February 1947 | 2 years, 3 months, 14 days (836 days) | SDP |
| 12 | Bjarni Benediktsson (1908–1970) | 4 February 1947 | 24 July 1956 | 9 years, 5 months, 20 days (3,458 days) | IP |
| (7) | Hermann Jónasson (1896–1976) | 24 July 1956 | 23 December 1958 | 2 years, 4 months, 29 days (882 days) | PP |
| 13 | Friðjón Skarphéðinsson (1909–1996) | 23 December 1958 | 20 November 1959 | 10 months, 28 days (332 days) | SDP |
| (12) | Bjarni Benediktsson (1908–1970) | 20 November 1959 | 14 November 1963 | 3 years, 11 months, 25 days (1,455 days) | IP |
| 14 | Jóhann Hafstein (1915–1980) | 14 November 1963 | 1 January 1970 | 6 years, 1 month, 18 days (2,240 days) | IP |

### Minister of Ecclesiastical Affairs (4 January 1917 – 1 January 1970)

| Nº | Minister | Took office | Left office | Duration | Party |
| 1 | Jón Magnússon (1859–1926) | 4 January 1917 | 7 March 1922 | 5 years, 2 months, 3 days (1,888 days) | |
| 2 | Sigurður Eggerz (1875–1945) | 7 March 1922 | 22 March 1924 | 2 years, 15 days (746 days) | |
| (1) | Jón Magnússon (1859–1926) | 22 March 1924 | 23 June 1926 | 2 years, 3 months, 1 day (823 days) | |
| 3 | Magnús Guðmundsson (1879–1937) | 23 June 1926 | 28 August 1927 | 1 year, 2 months, 5 days (431 days) | |
| 4 | Jónas Jónsson (1885–1968) | 28 August 1927 | 20 April 1931 | 3 years, 7 months, 23 days (1,331 days) | |
| 5 | Tryggvi Þórhallsson (1889–1935) | 20 April 1931 | 20 August 1931 | 4 months (122 days) | |
| (4) | Jónas Jónsson (1885–1968) | 20 August 1931 | 3 June 1932 | 9 months, 14 days (288 days) | |
| (3) | Magnús Guðmundsson (1879–1937) | 3 June 1932 | 23 June 1932 | 20 days (20 days) | |
| 6 | Þorsteinn Briem (1885–1949) | 23 June 1932 | 28 July 1934 | 2 years, 1 month, 5 days (765 days) | |
| 7 | Hermann Jónasson (1896–1976) | 28 July 1934 | 16 May 1942 | 7 years, 9 months, 18 days (2,849 days) | PP |
| 8 | Magnús Jónsson (1887–1958) | 16 May 1942 | 16 December 1942 | 7 months (214 days) | |
| 9 | Björn Þórðarson (1879–1963) | 16 December 1942 | 21 October 1944 | 1 year, 10 months, 5 days (675 days) | independent |
| 10 | Emil Jónsson (1902–1986) | 21 October 1944 | 4 February 1947 | 2 years, 3 months, 14 days (836 days) | SDP |
| 11 | Eysteinn Jónsson (1906–1993) | 4 February 1947 | 6 December 1949 | 2 years, 10 months, 2 days (1,036 days) | PP |
| 12 | Bjarni Benediktsson (1908–1970) | 6 December 1949 | 14 March 1950 | 3 months, 8 days (98 days) | IP |
| (7) | Hermann Jónasson (1896–1976) | 14 March 1950 | 11 September 1953 | 3 years, 5 months, 28 days (1,277 days) | PP |
| 13 | Steingrímur Steinþórsson (1893–1966) | 11 September 1953 | 24 July 1956 | 2 years, 10 months, 13 days (1,047 days) | PP |
| (7) | Hermann Jónasson (1896–1976) | 24 July 1956 | 23 December 1958 | 2 years, 4 months, 29 days (882 days) | PP |
| 14 | Friðjón Skarphéðinsson (1909–1996) | 23 December 1958 | 20 November 1959 | 10 months, 28 days (332 days) | SDP |
| (12) | Bjarni Benediktsson (1908–1970) | 20 November 1959 | 14 September 1961 | 1 year, 9 months, 25 days (664 days) | IP |
| 15 | Jóhann Hafstein (1915–1980) | 14 September 1961 | 31 December 1961 | 3 months, 17 days (108 days) | IP |
| (12) | Bjarni Benediktsson (1908–1970) | 31 December 1961 | 14 November 1963 | 1 year, 10 months, 14 days (683 days) | IP |
| (15) | Jóhann Hafstein (1915–1980) | 14 November 1963 | 1 January 1970 | 6 years, 1 month, 18 days (2,240 days) | IP |

### Minister of Justice and Ecclesiastical Affairs (1 January 1970 – 1 October 2009)

| Nº | Minister | Took office | Left office | Duration | Party | Cabinet |
| 1 | Jóhann Hafstein (1915–1980) | 1 January 1970 | 10 October 1970 | 9 months, 9 days (282 days) | IP | Bjarni Benediktsson |
| 1 | Jóhann Hafstein (1915–1980) | 1 January 1970 | 10 October 1970 | 9 months, 9 days (282 days) | IP | Jóhann Hafstein |
| 2 | Auður Auðuns (1911–1999) | 10 October 1970 | 14 July 1971 | 9 months, 4 days (277 days) | IP | Jóhann Hafstein |
| 3 | Ólafur Jóhannesson (1913–1984) | 14 July 1971 | 1 September 1978 | 7 years, 1 month, 18 days (2,606 days) | PP | Ólafur Jóhannesson I |
| 3 | Ólafur Jóhannesson (1913–1984) | 14 July 1971 | 1 September 1978 | 7 years, 1 month, 18 days (2,606 days) | PP | Geir Hallgrímsson |
| 4 | Steingrímur Hermannsson (1928–2010) | 1 September 1978 | 15 October 1979 | 1 year, 1 month, 14 days (409 days) | PP | Ólafur Jóhannesson II |
| 5 | Vilmundur Gylfason (1948–1983) | 15 October 1979 | 8 February 1980 | 3 months, 24 days (116 days) | SDP | Benedikt Sigurðsson Gröndal |
| 6 | Friðjón Þórðarson (1923–2009) | 8 February 1980 | 26 May 1983 | 3 years, 3 months, 18 days (1,203 days) | IP | Gunnar Thoroddsen |
| 7 | Jón Helgason (1931–2019) | 26 May 1983 | 8 July 1987 | 4 years, 1 month, 12 days (1,504 days) | PP | Steingrímur Hermannsson I |
| 8 | Jón Sigurðsson (1941–) | 8 July 1987 | 28 September 1988 | 1 year, 2 months, 20 days (448 days) | SDP | Þorsteinn Pálsson |
| 9 | Halldór Ásgrímsson (1947–2015) | 28 September 1988 | 10 September 1989 | 11 months, 13 days (347 days) | PP | Steingrímur Hermannsson II |
| 10 | Óli Þorbjörn Guðbjartsson (1935–) | 10 September 1989 | 30 April 1991 | 1 year, 7 months, 20 days (597 days) | CP | Steingrímur Hermannsson III |
| 11 | Þorsteinn Pálsson (1947–) | 30 April 1991 | 11 May 1999 | 8 years, 11 days (2,933 days) | IP | Davíð Oddsson I |
| 11 | Þorsteinn Pálsson (1947–) | 30 April 1991 | 11 May 1999 | 8 years, 11 days (2,933 days) | IP | Davíð Oddsson II |
| 12 | Davíð Oddsson (1948–) | 11 May 1999 | 28 May 1999 | 17 days (17 days) | IP | Davíð Oddsson II |
| 13 | Sólveig Guðrún Pétursdóttir (1952–) | 28 May 1999 | 23 May 2003 | 3 years, 11 months, 25 days (1,456 days) | IP | Davíð Oddsson III |
| 14 | Björn Bjarnason (1944–) | 23 May 2003 | 1 February 2009 | 5 years, 8 months, 9 days (2,081 days) | IP | Davíð Oddsson IV |
| 14 | Björn Bjarnason (1944–) | 23 May 2003 | 1 February 2009 | 5 years, 8 months, 9 days (2,081 days) | IP | Halldór Ásgrímsson |
| 14 | Björn Bjarnason (1944–) | 23 May 2003 | 1 February 2009 | 5 years, 8 months, 9 days (2,081 days) | IP | Geir Haarde I |
| 14 | Björn Bjarnason (1944–) | 23 May 2003 | 1 February 2009 | 5 years, 8 months, 9 days (2,081 days) | IP | Geir Haarde II |
| 15 | Ragna Árnadóttir (1966–) | 1 February 2009 | — | — | independent | Jóhanna Sigurðardóttir I |
| 15 | Ragna Árnadóttir (1966–) | 1 February 2009 | — | — | independent | Jóhanna Sigurðardóttir II |

### Minister of Justice and Human Rights (1 October 2009 – 31 December 2010)

| Nº | Minister | Minister | Minister | Took office | Left office | Duration | Party | Cabinet |
| (15) | | | Ragna Árnadóttir (1966–) | — | 2 September 2010 | 1 year, 7 months, 1 day (578 days) | independent | Jóhanna Sigurðardóttir II |
| 16 | | | Ögmundur Jónasson (1948–) | 2 September 2010 | 31 December 2010 | 3 months, 29 days (120 days) | LGM | Jóhanna Sigurðardóttir II |

### Minister of the Interior (2011–2017)

    See Minister of the Interior (Iceland)

### Minister of Justice (2017–)

| Nº | Minister | Took office | Left office | Duration | Party | Cabinet |
| 1 | Sigríður Á. Andersen (1971–) | 11 January 2017 | 14 March 2019 | 2 years, 62 days | IP | Bjarni Benediktsson |
| 1 | Sigríður Á. Andersen (1971–) | 11 January 2017 | 14 March 2019 | 2 years, 62 days | IP | Katrín Jakobsdóttir |
| — | Þórdís Kolbrún R. Gylfadóttir (1987–) | 14 March 2019 | 5 September 2019 | 175 days | IP | Katrín Jakobsdóttir |
| 2 | Áslaug Arna Sigurbjörnsdóttir (1990–) | 6 September 2019 | 28 November 2021 | 2 years, 83 days | IP | Katrín Jakobsdóttir |
| 3 | Jón Gunnarsson (1956–) | 1 February 2022 | 19 June 2023 | 1 year, 138 days | IP | Katrín Jakobsdóttir II |
| 4 | Guðrún Hafsteinsdóttir (1970–) | 19 June 2023 | 21 December 2024 | 1 year, 185 days | IP | Katrín Jakobsdóttir II |
| 4 | Guðrún Hafsteinsdóttir (1970–) | 19 June 2023 | 21 December 2024 | 1 year, 185 days | IP | Bjarni Benediktsson II |
| 5 | Þorbjörg Sigríður Gunnlaugsdóttir (1978–) | 21 December 2024 | Incumbent | 85 days | RP | Kristrún Frostadóttir |