Icelandic parliamentary election, 2017

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Icelandic parliamentary election, 2017

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  2016 28 October 2017 Next  

All 63 seats in the Althing
32 seats needed for a majority
Turnout 201,777 (81.2% Increase2.svg2.0%)

 First partySecond partyThird party
  Bjarni Benediktsson vid Nordiska Radets session i Stockholm.jpg Katrin Jakobsdottir (cropped).jpg Sigurdur Ingi Johannsson 2016 (cropped).png
Leader Bjarni Benediktsson Katrín Jakobsdóttir Sigurður Ingi Jóhannsson
Party Independence Left-Green Progressive
Leader since29 March 200924 February 20132 October 2016
Last election21 seats, 29.0%10 seats, 15.9%8 seats, 11.5%
Seats won
16 / 63
11 / 63
8 / 63
Seat changeDecrease2.svg5Increase2.svg1Steady2.svg
Popular vote49,54333,15521,016
Percentage25.2%16.9%10.7%
SwingDecrease2.svg3.8%Increase2.svg1.0%Decrease2.svg0.8%

 Fourth partyFifth partySixth party
  Sigmundur David Gunnlaugsson 2016 (cropped resized).jpg
Leader Logi Már Einarsson Sigmundur Davíð Gunnlaugsson Collective leadership [n 1]
Party Social Democratic Centre Pirates
Leader since31 October 201624 September 2017N/A
Last election3 seats, 5.7%New party10 seats, 14.5%
Seats won
7 / 63
7 / 63
6 / 63
Seat changeIncrease2.svg4Increase2.svg7Decrease2.svg4
Popular vote23,65221,33518,051
Percentage12.1%10.9%9.2%
SwingIncrease2.svg6.4%Increase2.svg10.9%Decrease2.svg5.3%

 Seventh partyEighth partyNinth party
  Thorgerdur K. Gunnarsdottir, Islands kulturminister (cropped).jpg Ottarr Proppe, ESC2014 Meet & Greet (crop).jpg
Leader Inga Sæland Þorgerður Katrín Gunnarsdóttir Óttarr Proppé
Party People's Reform Bright Future
Leader since27 January 201611 October 201731 January 2015
Last election0 seats, 3.5%7 seats, 10.5%4 seats, 7.2%
Seats won
4 / 63
4 / 63
0 / 63
Seat changeIncrease2.svg4Decrease2.svg3Decrease2.svg4
Popular vote13,50213,1222,394
Percentage6.9%6.7%1.2%
SwingIncrease2.svg3.4%Decrease2.svg3.8%Decrease2.svg6.0%

Icelandic general election 2017 - Results by Constituency.svg

Map of the election results, showing the seats won by each party in each of the 6 multi-member constituencies.

Prime Minister before election

Bjarni Benediktsson
Independence

Elected Prime Minister

Katrín Jakobsdóttir
Left-Green

Coat of arms of Iceland.svg
This article is part of a series on the
politics and government of
Iceland
Constitution

Parliamentary elections were held in Iceland on 28 October 2017. On 15 September 2017, the three-party coalition government collapsed after the departure of Bright Future over a scandal involving Prime Minister Bjarni Benediktsson's father writing a letter recommending a convicted paedophile have his "honour restored". [1] Bjarni subsequently called for a snap election, [2] which was officially scheduled for 28 October 2017 following the dissolution of the Althing.

Iceland island republic in Northern Europe

Iceland is a Nordic island country in the North Atlantic, with a population of 348,580 and an area of 103,000 km2 (40,000 sq mi), making it the most sparsely populated country in Europe. The capital and largest city is Reykjavík, with Reykjavík and the surrounding areas in the southwest of the country being home to over two-thirds of the population. Iceland is volcanically and geologically active. The interior consists of a plateau characterised by sand and lava fields, mountains, and glaciers, and many glacial rivers flow to the sea through the lowlands. Iceland is warmed by the Gulf Stream and has a temperate climate, despite a high latitude just outside the Arctic Circle. Its high latitude and marine influence keep summers chilly, with most of the archipelago having a tundra climate.

Bright Future (Iceland) Icelandic political party

Bright Future is a liberal political party in Iceland that was founded in 2012.

Prime Minister of Iceland Head of Icelands government

The Prime Minister of Iceland is Iceland's head of government. The prime minister is appointed formally by the President and exercises executive authority along with the cabinet subject to parliamentary support.

Contents

Though many opinion polls in the run-up to the election indicated an increase in support for the Left-Green Movement, the Independence Party retained its position as the Althing's largest party. [3] Following the election, four-party coalition talks led by the Left-Greens ensued; however, after the Progressive Party rejected the possibility, a three-party coalition led by the Left-Greens including the Independence Party and Progressive Party was negotiated. After formally receiving the mandate to form a coalition on 28 November, Left-Green leader Katrín Jakobsdóttir was designated Prime Minister to lead the new government on 30 November.

Left-Green Movement political party

The Left-Green Movement is a eco-socialist political party in Iceland. It is the second largest party in the Althingi, with 11 members of 63 in total, and is currently the leading party in a three-party coalition government formed after the 2017 elections. The party chair is Katrín Jakobsdóttir, MP and the 28th Prime Minister of Iceland since 30 November 2017. The vice chair is Edward H. Hujibens. The secretary-general of the party is Björg Eva Erlendsdóttir. The Left-Green Movement is a member of the Nordic Green Left Alliance.

Independence Party (Iceland) political party in Iceland

The Independence Party is a liberal-conservative, Eurosceptic political party in Iceland. It is currently the largest party in the Althing, with 16 seats. The chairman of the party is Bjarni Benediktsson. The secretary of the party is Áslaug Arna Sigurbjörnsdóttir.

Progressive Party (Iceland) political party in Iceland

The Progressive Party is a centre-right, populist and agrarian political party in Iceland. For most of its history, the Progressive Party has governed with the centre-right liberal conservative Independence Party.

Background

A three-party coalition of the Independence Party, Reform Party and Bright Future had been put together after the 2016 election, which held a narrow majority of 1 seat in Parliament. The cabinet formed was led by Prime Minister Bjarni Benediktsson, head of the Independence Party.

Cabinet of Bjarni Benediktsson (2017)

The Cabinet of Bjarni Benediktsson was formed on 11 January 2017, following the 2016 parliamentary election. The cabinet was led by Bjarni Benediktsson of the Independence Party, who served as Prime Minister of Iceland.

The Icelandic legal system has a mechanism whereby a convicted individual can have their "honour restored", that is have certain civil rights restored, from five years after serving their sentence [4] if three letters of recommendation from persons of good character who know the individual are provided. Hjalti Sigurjón Hauksson was convicted in 2004 for multiple rapes of his stepdaughter from age five for twelve years. He served a jail term of five and a half years. Bjarni's father, Benedikt Sveinsson, was a friend of Hjalti Sigurjón's. Benedikt signed a letter of recommendation, which he said Hjalti Sigurjón brought to him already drafted. Bjarni was informed on this in July 2017 by the justice minister, Sigríður Á. Andersen, also of the Independence Party, but Benedikt's support was not revealed by the government at first. [5] Sigridur refused to say in public who had signed the letter at first, but was ordered to do so by a Parliamentary committee. Bjarni said it would have been illegal for him to reveal the information earlier. [6]

Sigríður Á. Andersen Icelandic politician

Sigríður Ásthildur Andersen is an Icelandic politician and lawyer who served as the Minister of Justice of Iceland from 2017–2019. She resigned as minister of justice after the European Court of Human Rights found her appointments of judges to the Icelandic court of appeals to be illegal.

Benedikt's involvement emerged in September. Bright Future left the coalition, accusing the Independence Party of a "serious breach of trust". Benedikt apologised for signing the letter. Sigridur said she is preparing a bill to reform the restored honour system. [5]

Bjarni acknowledged the need for new elections, although the decision is made by the President, Guðni Thorlacius Jóhannesson. Other parties supported new elections, [6] although Birgitta Jónsdóttir, parliamentary chair of the Pirates, initially suggested a 5-party coalition government of the Pirate Party, the Reform Party, the Left-Greens, the Social Democrats and Bright Future should be explored. There had been unsuccessful discussions for such a coalition after the last election. [7]

Guðni Th. Jóhannesson Icelandic historian, 6th President of Iceland

Guðni Thorlacius Jóhannesson is an Icelandic politician serving as the 6th and current President of Iceland since 2016. He took office after receiving the largest number of votes in the 2016 election, 71,356 (39.1%). A historian, he was a docent at the University of Iceland until his election. His field of research is modern Icelandic history, and he has published a number of works on the Cod Wars, the 2008–2011 Icelandic financial crisis and the Icelandic presidency, among other topics.

Birgitta Jónsdóttir Icelandic Poet, Writer, Editor, and Member of Parliament

Birgitta Jónsdóttir is an Icelandic politician, anarchist, poet, and activist. She was a Member of the Althing (MP) for the Southwest Constituency from 2013 to 2017, representing the Pirate Party, having been elected at the 2013 election. She was previously an MP for Reykjavík Constituency South from 2009 to 2013. In November 2017, she has announced to retire from politics "for now".

According to poll conducted by Morgunblaðið, 57% of Icelanders believe calling the snap election was right. [8]

Candidates and campaign

The Pirate Party reject a traditional model of party leadership, but Birgitta Jónsdóttir co-founded the party and is often described as the party's informal leader. [9] She announced that she would not be standing in the election. [10] After Birgitta announced that she was not standing, Helgi Hrafn Gunnarsson announced that he would now be running to be an MP, [11] having earlier quit due to what he described as bullying by Birgitta. [12] The centre-right Independence and Reform Parties both campaigned on a platform of continuing their governmental efforts and retaining power in the Althing, as both parties were in coalition before the collapse of the previous parliament. Meanwhile, the Left-Green Movement sought an opportunity to govern for the first time since 2009 and implement ideologically leftist policies. [13]

Former Progressive Party Prime Minister Sigmundur Davíð Gunnlaugsson announced in an open letter that he planned to create a party before the elections. This decision was triggered by a leadership dispute amongst the Progressive Party, and led to the formation of the Centre Party on 24 September. [14] The party's platform was broadly similar to that of its predecessor, but was characterised by observers in the media as being "populist", [15] with a particular emphasis on reform of the banking sector and firms such as Íslandsbanki. [16]

Electoral system

The 63 members of the Althing are elected using closed list proportional representation in multi-member constituencies of 8 to 13 seats. [17] Of the 63 seats, 54 are elected using constituency results and determined using the d'Hondt method. The remaining nine supplementary seats are awarded to parties that crossed the 5% national electoral threshold in order to give them a total number of seats equivalent to their national share of the vote. [17]

Participating parties

Parties with a list for all constituencies [18]
Parties with a list for only some constituencies

The Icelandic National Front (right-wing/far-right) was going to take part in the election with list letter E, but has since withdrawn all its lists. [19]

Opinion polls

Icelandic Opinion Polling, 30 Day Moving Average, 2016-2017.svg

Poll sourceFieldwork dateSample
size
D V P B C A S F M OthersLead
2017 election 28 Oct 201725.216.99.210.76.71.212.16.910.90.28.4
MMR 26–27 Oct 201798021.316.611.011.78.12.212.54.411.40.94.7
Gallup 23–27 Oct 20173,84825.317.39.08.98.21.515.54.09.70.68.0
Zenter 23–27 Oct 201796222.519.69.69.67.11.914.74.310.20.72.9
Háskóli Íslands 22–25 Oct 20172,28324.520.28.87.98.31.315.34.29.30.24.6
Fréttablaðið 23–24 Oct 20171,60224.119.29.46.27.51.914.34.49.63.44.9
MMR 20–23 Oct 201797922.919.99.38.65.51.813.54.712.31.33.0
Háskóli Íslands 16–19 Oct 20172,39525.123.28.27.15.71.515.63.39.80.51.9
Gallup 13–19 Oct 20172,87022.623.310.77.45.81.213.35.79.40.50.7
MMR 17–18 Oct 20171,00719.919.111.98.06.71.615.85.311.00.80.8
Fréttablaðið 16 Oct 201780622.227.010.07.55.02.110.43.710.71.44.8
Háskóli Íslands 9–12 Oct 20171,25022.627.49.25.53.42.615.36.56.41.14.8
Gallup 29 Sep–12 Oct 20173,87623.723.08.87.24.83.013.45.79.50.90.7
MMR 6–11 Oct 201796621.121.810.55.93.64.213.07.410.71.80.7
Fréttablaðið 10 Oct 201780422.229.98.57.13.33.68.36.19.21.87.7
Háskóli Íslands 2–6 Oct 20171,08320.728.29.15.53.12.710.89.09.51.47.5
Fréttablaðið 2–3 Oct 201780022.328.611.45.53.02.610.65.88.91.46.3
MMR 26–28 Sep 20171,01223.524.710.06.44.92.510.48.57.31.71.2
Háskóli Íslands 25–28 Sep 201795224.328.811.67.04.84.37.56.54.60.64.5
Gallup 15–28 Sep 20174,09223.125.410.39.93.64.69.310.12.01.62.3
Háskóli Íslands 19–21 Sep 201790823301011638907
Fréttablaðið 18 Sep 201780023.022.813.710.45.27.15.110.91.80.2
Zenter 15–18 Sep 201795626.422.812.510.52.75.69.09.80.83.6
Gallup 14 Sep 2017N/A23.624.49.810.45.24.49.111.61.50.8
MMR 4 Sep 2017N/A25.919.213.89.77.33.09.69.12.46.7
Gallup 10–30 Aug 20174,10826.319.513.110.84.82.89.710.62.46.8
MMR 15–18 Aug 201795524.520.513.510.16.03.610.66.74.54.0
Gallup 12–31 Jul 20173,82726.521.212.911.45.33.79.18.41.55.3
MMR 18–21 Jul 201790929.320.413.39.64.62.410.66.13.68.9
Gallup 15 Jun–2 Jul 20172,87027.521.514.211.35.63.39.23.83.66.0
MMR 21 Jun 2017N/A28.422.613.310.25.33.39.12.85.05.8
MMR 6–14 Jun 201797424.920.613.713.45.22.911.32.85.24.3
Gallup 3–31 May 20177,13325.624.312.911.06.23.49.44.23.01.3
MMR 11–16 May 201794325.621.414.112.25.53.49.33.65.04.2
Gallup 30 Mar–1 May 20178,20626.424.013.110.96.94.48.33.73.32.4
MMR 11–26 Apr 201792625.223.412.811.15.03.210.63.25.41.8
Gallup 2–30 Mar 20175,79829.224.510.310.56.06.08.32.82.44.7
Fréttablaðið 20–21 Mar 201779132.127.314.37.03.13.88.83.64.8
MMR 6–13 Mar 201792125.423.513.711.45.55.08.83.73.01.9
Gallup 1–28 Feb 20175,55727.624.312.010.75.46.48.32.42.93.3
MMR 17–24 Feb 201792826.923.911.612.26.35.28.02.53.43.3
MMR 10–15 Feb 201798324.427.011.910.76.25.410.02.61.82.6
MMR 1–5 Feb 201798323.827.013.69.75.65.37.83.63.63.2
Gallup 5–29 Jan 20174,28828.022.813.410.55.37.27.33.32.25.2
MMR 12–26 Jan 201791024.622.013.612.56.87.07.03.62.92.6
MMR 3–10 Jan 201795426.124.314.610.96.96.36.42.12.41.8
Gallup 1–29 Dec 20164,19229.020.014.68.97.48.77.52.21.79.0
MMR 26 Dec 2016N/A29.320.712.710.27.09.16.92.21.98.6
MMR 14 Dec 2016N/A29.621.614.19.15.68.96.31.63.28.0
Fréttablaðið 12–14 Dec 201679131.817.013.19.710.110.85.61.914.8
MMR 1 Dec 2016N/A26.120.515.68.07.89.86.61.93.75.6
Gallup 10–29 Nov 20165,20728.020.913.79.08.98.65.33.02.67.1
MMR 7–14 Nov 201690426.020.711.99.410.69.65.63.42.85.3
2016 election 29 Oct 201629.015.914.511.510.57.25.73.52.213.1

If a sample size was not provided for the poll, only the given (Gallup) or end (MMR) date was provided by the polling firm.

Results

The Independence Party retained its position as the Althing's largest party. However, the Independence Party's parliamentary representation decreased by five seats to 16 and it lost its governing majority. The Left-Green Movement retained its position as the Althing's second largest party, increasing its representation by one seat to 11. The Social Democratic Alliance saw a large increase in support, doubling its vote share from 2016, and will enter the new parliament with seven members. The Progressive Party held steady at eight seats while the newly formed Centre Party, founded by former Progressive Prime Minister Sigmundur Davíð Gunnlaugsson, won seven seats. The Pirate Party, which entered the election as the Althing's third largest party, lost four seats and was reduced to six seats. Entering the Althing for the first time, the People's Party obtained four seats. The Reform Party, one of the members of the outgoing government, lost three seats and was left with four seats. In line with all pre-election polling, Bright Future did not meet the 5% threshold and was therefore not returned to the Althing.

New Iceland Althingi 2017.svg

PartyVotes%Seats+/–
Independence Party D49,54325.216–5
Left-Green Movement V33,15516.911+1
Social Democratic Alliance S23,65212.17+4
Centre Party M21,33510.97New
Progressive Party B21,01610.780
Pirate Party P18,0519.26–4
People's Party F13,5026.94+4
Reform Party C13,1226.74–3
Bright Future A2,3941.20–4
People's Front of Iceland R3750.200
Dawn T1010.100
Invalid/blank votes5,531
Total201,777100630
Registered voters/turnout248,50281.2
Source: Morgunblaðið (Icelandic) Iceland Monitor (English)
Popular vote
D
25.25%
V
16.89%
S
12.05%
M
10.87%
B
10.71%
P
9.20%
F
6.88%
C
6.69%
A
1.22%
Others
0.24%
Parliamentary seats
D
25.40%
V
17.46%
B
12.70%
S
11.11%
M
11.11%
P
9.52%
F
6.63%
C
6.63%

Government formation

Four-party coalition talks

On 30 October, President Guðni Th. Jóhannesson met with the leaders of the eight parliamentary parties. [20] Before meeting with Guðni, Left-Green leader Katrín Jakobsdóttir stated that she wanted to become Prime Minister, and did not exclude the possibility of cooperation with any party. [21] Þórhildur Sunna Ævarsdóttir, representing the Pirates, voiced her party's support for Katrín to receive the mandate to form a government, did not rule out an alliance with the Centre or People's Party, but indicated that it was not her first choice, [22] and did not rule out an alliance with the Independence Party but did not envisage one to be possible. [23] Inga Sæland said that the People's Party remained unbound, but alluded to the similarities between her party and Sigmundur Davíð Gunnlaugsson's Centre Party; [24] however, though Sigmundur suggested that the two parties would ally to address shared issues, [25] Inga stated she was not aware of any such alliance. [26]

The four former opposition parties held informal talks, [27] with their leaders meeting by chance on 30 October. Logi Már Einarsson, leader of the Social Democratic Alliance, told Guðni it was natural for Katrín to receive the mandate to form a government if she so requested. He did not rule out an alliance with the Independence Party, but said that the two parties were starkly different, [28] adding that it was natural for the opposition to have the chance to lead given the government's losses in the election. [29] The Progressive Party was in pole position to determine whether the Independence Party or the Left-Greens would lead the next government, [30] and after the election reiterated its opposition to a referendum on EU membership. [31] Progressive leader Sigurður Ingi Jóhannsson also expressed reluctance to governing with the Centre Party. [32] After meeting with Guðni, Katrín declared that she wanted to form a government with the four former opposition parties, [33] noting that though a coalition with additional parties would provide more than 32 seats, doing so would not be necessary before a four-party coalition was first attempted. [34]

After holding talks with party leaders, President Guðni Th. Jóhannesson on 2 November granted Katrín Jakobsdóttir, leader of the Left-Green Movement, the mandate to form a coalition between her party, the Progressives, Social Democratic Alliance, and Pirates, [35] the four having agreed in the morning to begin formal coalition talks, [36] which started the following day. [37] On 6 November, the leadership of the Progressive Party determined that the four-party coalition would hold too slim a majority to form the basis for cooperation between them on major issues, [38] and the Pirates recommended in a press release that a government with a larger majority be formed; [39] the early failure of negotiations was also attributed to the Progressives' distrust of the Pirates in supporting a government with such a slim majority. As such, Katrín met Guðni in the afternoon, [40] after first announcing to the press that she would return her mandate. [41] Guðni subsequently announced that he would discuss alternative possibilities to form a government with the party leaders, [42] with speculation about a possible rapprochement between the Progressive Party and Centre Party sparked by a call between their chairmen over the weekend. [43]

Three-party coalition talks

In the following days, the leaders of the Left-Greens, Independence Party, and Progressive Party discussed the possibility of forming a coalition together, with the Left-Greens insistent that Katrín become prime minister in that case, [44] an idea supported by the Progressives; [45] in exchange, demissionary prime minister Bjarni Benediktsson would be appointed finance minister. [46] At a meeting of Left-Green parliamentarians on 13 November, 9 voted in support and 2 against opening formal talks with the Independence Party, the two opposed being Andrés Ingi Jónsson and Rósa Björk Brynjólfsdóttur. [47] The youth organisation of the Left-Greens announced its vehement opposition to governing with the Independence Party, [48] and dozens of the party's members renounced their membership in protest. [49] The coalition is the first including the Independence Party and the farthest left party represented in the Althing since the period from 1944 to 1947, when it governed alongside the People's Unity Party – Socialist Party. [50]

Talks concluded swiftly, and after meeting with Katrín on 28 November, Guðni formally granted her the mandate to lead a government with the Independence Party and Progressive Party, pending the support of each of the parties, with the new government seated on 30 November, [51] after party committees approved the government agreement. [52]

Further reading

Footnotes

  1. The Pirate Party rejects the regular leadership model. Their formal chairperson for the 2017-18 period is Halldóra Mogensen

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References

  1. Milne, Richard (15 September 2017). "Paedophile rehabilitation scandal brings down Iceland's coalition". Financial Times. Retrieved 15 September 2017.
  2. Henley, Jon (15 September 2017). "Row over sexual abuse letter brings down Iceland's government". The Guardian. Retrieved 15 September 2017.
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