Triumph social democrats: Who will be the new coalition partner?

Triumph social democrats: Who will be the new coalition partner?

Social Democrats triumph in new elections in Iceland!

In a dramatic political upheaval, the Social Democrats received the most votes in the new elections in Iceland! The elections were triggered by the collapse of the seven -year coalition under Prime Minister Bjarni Benedictson, and the voters made it clear that they wanted to change. With 20.8 percent of the votes, the Social Democrats secured 15 of the 63 seats in Althingi, the Icelandic Parliament, and thus doubled their vote compared to the last election 2021!

The conservative independence party, which the previous government led, had to be content with 19.4 percent and 14 seats, while the centrist liberal reform party won 11 seats with 15.8 percent of the vote. The election day was characterized by tensions about immigration, energy policy and the economy that the government forced on its knees. The Social Democrats under the leadership of Kristrun Mjoll Frostadottir, 36, are now faced with the challenge of finding coalition partners in order to form a majority of government.

political realignment and challenges

frostadottir has already promised to devote itself to the cost of living that was caused by inflation and high credit costs. Inflation reached its peak with 10.4 percent in February 2023 and is currently 5.1 percent - a problem that affects many countries worldwide. In comparison, inflation in the United States is 2.6 percent and 2.3 percent in the European Union.

The political landscape is complicated by the fact that the pirate party has lost all its seats in this choice, which means that only six parties are represented in the new parliament. Political scientist Stefania Oskarsdottir emphasizes that the reform party could be decisive because it could coalize both with the Social Democrats as well as the independence party and the center party. The coming days will be crucial to see whether Frostadottir can win the president's support in order to form a stable government.