Politics in Iceland at stake again

Last updated on February 25th, 2022 at 06:01 am

Iceland – 63 parliamentary seats are being contested based on Iceland’s proportional representation electoral system. Voters will vote for predetermined party lists rather than individual candidates. In the elections11 parties are on the ballot. The current three-part center coalition has been in power for four years, but the Left-Green party has lost popularity over the years.

There are numerous issues at stake for the small island nation, some of them perennial, but the coronavirus pandemic is featuring prominently. However, recent polling is showing that even a coalition government of three parties may be difficult at best to form.

Stakeholders at general Iceland elections were conducted between September 13 and September 16 and it showed that more than 72 percent of respondents ranked the health care system as their top priority in terms of how they will cast their ballots this weekend.

Such coalitions have, within an Icelandic context, usually been regarded as unstable and undesirable. It will take lengthy and intense negotiations between all of these parties to hammer out a joint platform, and even then, it will require the final stamp of approval from Iceland’s president.

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The next government will also likely determine whether or not Iceland’s draft for a new constitution, which has effectively been shelved for ten years, will be given final ratification. Such coalitions have, within an Icelandic context, usually been regarded as unstable and undesirable. It will take lengthy and intense negotiations between all of these parties to hammer out a joint platform, and even then, it will require the final stamp of approval from Iceland’s president.