Social Democrats lead in partial results of Iceland’s snap parliamentary elections
REYKJAVIK – The Icelandic Social Democrats took a slight lead in the partial results of Sunday’s snap parliamentary elections, called after the October collapse of the left-right coalition government.
With persistent inflation and high interest rates, key issues for the 268,000 voters included purchasing power, housing, and healthcare, according to polls.
With over a third of the votes counted, the Social Democratic Alliance, led by Kristrun Frostadottir, is ahead with 21.2% of the vote, according to broadcaster RUV. If this trend continues, the party will more than double its 2021 result, where it barely reached 10%.
“There will be changes in the country’s governance. That’s clear,” said Frostadottir, though she stressed that vote counting is still ongoing.
The party of Prime Minister Bjarni Benediktsson, the conservative Independence Party, is closely behind with 19.9%, followed by the Liberal Reform Party at 16%.
Severe weather forecasts, including heavy snow and strong winds, raised concerns that the delivery of ballots for counting could be delayed due to difficult travel conditions.
In mid-October, Benediktsson announced the resignation of his government, a coalition of his party, the Left-Green Movement, and the Progress Party (centre-right), following internal divisions on issues ranging from foreign policy to asylum seekers and energy policy.
According to partial results, the Left-Green Movement appears set to lose all its seats, garnering just 2.4% of the vote.
