On a pivotal November 30, the Icelandic electorate took to the polls in a snap election, precipitated by Prime Minister Bjarni Benediktsson’s controversial dissolution of parliament last October.
In a remarkable display of democratic fervor, the Social Democratic Alliance (Samfylkingin) emerged triumphant, commandeering a substantial 20.8% of the votes, thereby securing 15 parliamentary seats. Close on their heels, the Independence Party (Sjálfstæðisflokkurinn) managed to stave off defeat—performing better than anticipated in pre-election forecasts, they garnered 19.4% of the total vote share, translating into 14 seats.
The threshold for an outright majority in the Alþingi stands at 32 MPs—an ambitious target clearly out of reach for any single party in this latest round.
Election night unfolded dramatically, often leaving the left-leaning factions—comprising the Socialists, Pirates, and Left Greens—reeling from a devastating blow. None managed to breach the crucial 5% electoral threshold necessary to secure a single seat, resulting in a complete washout for the combined 14 seats they held previously.
Contrastingly, most opposition parties had reason to celebrate, witnessing an upswing in votes when measured against the prior elections, a notable exception being the Pirate and Socialist parties, which were left floundering.
In a significant political engagement, Iceland’s President Halla Tómasdóttir is scheduled to rendezvous today, December 2, with every party leader to deliberate on the formation of a new government. Samfylkingin’s captain, Kristrún Frostadóttir, was the first to step into the presidential office.
Here’s how the parliamentary landscape reshaped itself post-election:
- Social Democratic Alliance: 20.8%, 15 seats
- Independence Party: 19.4%, 14 seats
- Liberal Reform Party (Viðreisn): 15.8%, 11 seats
- People’s Party (Flokkur Fólksins): 13.8%, 10 seats
- Centre Party (Miðflokkurinn): 12.1%, 8 seats
- Progressive Party (Framsókn): 7.8%, 5 seats
- Socialists: 4%, 0 seats
- Pirate Party: 3%, 0 seats
- Left Greens: 2.3%, 0 seats
- The Democratic Party: 1%, 0 seats
- Responsible Future: 0%, 0 seats
With the electorate comprising 268,422 eligible voters, it is noteworthy that voter turnout was a robust 80.2%—a testament to civic engagement in Iceland.
Follow along with the Grapevine’s 2024 election coverage.
