Iceland sets date for early parliamentary elections after government collapses

On October 15, the Icelandic government announced early parliamentary elections for November 30, after the ruling coalition collapsed.

Iceland's parties are set to battle it out for 63 seats in the parliament (Althing). (Source: Dreamstime)

Thus, Icelandic voters will have to go to the polls nine months earlier than the previously outlined schedule of September 2025.

Iceland's ruling coalition includes Icelandic Prime Minister Bjarni Benediktsson's conservative Independence Party, the left-wing Green Movement and the center-right Progress Party.

On October 13, Prime Minister Benediktsson announced the dissolution of the ruling coalition due to deep divisions within the three parties on issues related to foreign policy, refugees and energy.

The Icelandic government said President Halla Tomasdottir had accepted Mr Benediktsson's resignation and asked the government to continue operating in an interim form until a new government is formed after parliamentary elections scheduled for November 30.

The Green-Left Movement has said it will not join the interim government, meaning a two-party coalition government will hold power until after the election.

According to a poll released by Gallup data analysis and consulting firm on October 1, the coalition government received support from only 24.6% of voters, the lowest rate Gallup recorded in Iceland in 30 years.

Meanwhile, the Social Democrats have come out ahead of all three parties in the ruling coalition combined with 26.1% support.

Mr Benediktsson took office as Prime Minister in April 2024 after Katrin Jakobsdottir of the Green-Left Movement resigned to run for President, but she later failed to win.

Parties in Iceland will be competing for 63 seats in the Althing, of which 9 seats will be allocated to parties with more than 5% of the vote and 54 seats will be allocated to parties based on vote share without a threshold limit.

According to the Icelandic Parliament's regulations, parliamentary elections take place every four years.

Source: https://baoquocte.vn/iceland-an-dinh-ngay-bau-cu-quoc-hoi-som-sau-khi-chinh-phu-tan-ra-290268.html