Structuring the Unstructured: The Very Special Case of the Icelandic Municipal CEO

The position of the Icelandic municipal chief executive officer (MCEO) is the single most important municipal administrative position. The Icelandic system has strong Nordic traits, with a strong local identity, strong local councils, and a wide range of tasks. However, this trend has only recently been manifested, as the arrangements of Icelandic local governments have changed considerably in the past decades. This chapter discusses the history of the MCEO position and demonstrates how the past is effectively influencing the present. The chapter shows how the Icelandic case both diverges from and converges with those of the other Nordic countries. Finally, special emphasis is placed on demonstrating the similarities and differences between different types of MCEOs and the main challenges of the complexity of the Icelandic case.