New elections in Iceland: Chaos after volcanic eruptions and economic crisis!

New elections in Iceland: Chaos after volcanic eruptions and economic crisis!

In a dramatic political turning point, Iceland today chooses a new parliament! The voters are called to determine the 63 members of the Althingi after Prime Minister Bjarni Benediktsson has dissolved his fragile coalition government. The reasons? Massive disagreements about the economy, immigration and the devastating consequences of volcanic eruptions. This choice has been the sixth since the devastating financial crisis in 2008, which has plunged the country into a phase of political instability.

The surveys indicate a possible upheaval, while the support for the three governing parties has dropped dramatically. Benediktsson, who was only appointed Prime Minister in April, could not hold the unequal coalition from its conservative independence party, the centrical progress party and the left-green movement. Voters have to adapt to the challenges of the election process, since violent snowfall in many regions makes traveling to the polling stations difficult. The delivery of the ballot gymnasts could also be delayed, which could complicate the counting after the selection of the polling stations at 22:00 GMT.

competition between ten parties

In this choice, ten parties compete to conquer seats in parliament. In order to win one seat, the parties must receive at least 5 percent of the votes. In the last election in 2021, the turnout was 80 percent, and voters are now called to give up their vote. The political landscape of Iceland has changed significantly since the financial crisis, with new parties that have arisen from the displeasure of the population, including the environmentally oriented left-green alliance and the pirate party that advocates direct democracy.

The Icelandic population is also faced with increasing living costs and an increase in asylum seekers. Inflation reached a maximum of 10.2 percent in February 2023, which also burdened citizens. While inflation went back to 5.1 percent in October, it remains high compared to neighboring countries. The repeated volcanic eruptions have not only burdened the public infrastructure, but also expelled thousands of people who are looking for safe living space.