The Founding of the Republic of Iceland took place in
early 1944,when the Al�0�6ing,the Icelandic parliament,on
February 25,1944 decided to formally sever the ties between Iceland and the Danish monarchy,in
accordance with the stipulations provided in the 1918 Danish–Icelandic Act of Union,which had
granted Iceland independence,but maintained the two countries in a
union,with the King of Denmark also as King of Iceland; in a personal union.
The Al�0�6ing passed a
law to the effect that on
May 20–23,1944 a national referendum should take place to confirm or reject the decision of the parliament.After an
overwhelming majority in favour of republican independence
(99%) and a new constitution (95%),the Republican Celebration
(L�0�5�0�8veldisháti�0�8in) was held on June 17,1944 in �0�7ingvellir,where the Al�0�6ing formally
severed the ties to the Danish monarchy,founded
the Republic of Iceland and elected its
first President,Sveinn Bj�0�2rnsson.
National Referendum May 20–23,1944[edit]
Main article:Icelandic constitutional
referendum,1944
The Al�0�6ing declared
on February 25,1944 that the Danish–Icelandic Act of Union from 1918 had
expired,and that this declaration should be put to a national referendum.A
national referendum was also to be held on the constitution of the new Republic.These referendums
were to be held in the days May 20–23,1944,and the results presented to
parliament on June 16.^[1]
The referendum began
at noon on May 20,and ended at midnight on May 23,1944.The newspaper Morgunbla�0�8i�0�8,on May 25,1944,
reported that participation in the referendum had been 98%.
Out of the 48100 people who voted,
99.5% were in favor of severing ties with the Danish monarchy,and 98.3% in favour of founding a republic.
The Republican
Celebration[edit]
The Republican
Celebration was held in �0�7ingvellir on June 17,1944.At 13:30,Prime Minister
Bj�0�2rn �0�7ór�0�8arson officially set the celebrations going,after which a religious ceremony was held.The new flag of the Republic of Iceland was raised,and
the members of parliament rose from
their seats,as church bells rang.All declared unilaterally that Iceland would henceforth be
a republic.The members of parliament then voted on
who should be the first
President of the Republic,and chose Sveinn
Bj�0�2rnsson,who had been regent of Iceland and the King's placeholder
during the war years.
Sveinn thus became the first president of Iceland,and the only one not elected
directly by the people of Iceland.