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| Leftwing Icelanders hope to oust conservative PM | Leftwing Icelanders hope to oust conservative PM |
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| Icelanders voted in a close general election on Saturday marked by deep distrust of the scandal-hit political class despite a thriving economy, with the left hoping to oust the conservative prime minister Bjarni Benediktsson. | Icelanders voted in a close general election on Saturday marked by deep distrust of the scandal-hit political class despite a thriving economy, with the left hoping to oust the conservative prime minister Bjarni Benediktsson. |
| Polls closed at 9pm local time (10pm GMT) with the final results not expected until Sunday morning. But efforts to form a coalition government could take days, weeks or even months, as nine parties battle for seats in the 63-seat parliament. | Polls closed at 9pm local time (10pm GMT) with the final results not expected until Sunday morning. But efforts to form a coalition government could take days, weeks or even months, as nine parties battle for seats in the 63-seat parliament. |
| Benediktsson, of the conservative Independence party, called Saturday’s election – Iceland’s fourth since 2008 and second in a year – after a junior member of the three-party centre-right coalition quit last month over a legal controversy involving the PM’s father. | Benediktsson, of the conservative Independence party, called Saturday’s election – Iceland’s fourth since 2008 and second in a year – after a junior member of the three-party centre-right coalition quit last month over a legal controversy involving the PM’s father. |
| Opinion polls published on Friday by public broadcaster RUV and the daily Morgunbladid showed the Independence party could win just 17 seats. | Opinion polls published on Friday by public broadcaster RUV and the daily Morgunbladid showed the Independence party could win just 17 seats. |
| The rival Left-Green Movement and its potential partners – the Social Democratic Alliance and the anti-establishment Pirate party – were predicted to take 29 seats, short of an outright majority. | The rival Left-Green Movement and its potential partners – the Social Democratic Alliance and the anti-establishment Pirate party – were predicted to take 29 seats, short of an outright majority. |
| But with help from a fourth party, they could dethrone the centre-right and become Iceland’s second left-leaning government since its proclamation as a republic in 1944. | But with help from a fourth party, they could dethrone the centre-right and become Iceland’s second left-leaning government since its proclamation as a republic in 1944. |
| “We want to lead a government that can create broad unity on a long term vision for society,” the Left-Green leader, Katrin Jakobsdottir told AFP in the run-up to the vote. Her campaign promises included investing in social infrastructure and ensuring that Iceland’s economic prosperity reaches the health care and education sectors. | “We want to lead a government that can create broad unity on a long term vision for society,” the Left-Green leader, Katrin Jakobsdottir told AFP in the run-up to the vote. Her campaign promises included investing in social infrastructure and ensuring that Iceland’s economic prosperity reaches the health care and education sectors. |
| Nearly one in two Icelanders would prefer to have her as their new prime minister, according to a September poll published by Morgunbladid. Under the Icelandic system the president, who holds a largely ceremonial role, tasks the leader of the biggest party with forming a government. | Nearly one in two Icelanders would prefer to have her as their new prime minister, according to a September poll published by Morgunbladid. Under the Icelandic system the president, who holds a largely ceremonial role, tasks the leader of the biggest party with forming a government. |
| “The fear is whether there will be a possibility to form a government,” said Arnar Thor Jonsson, a law professor at Reykjavik University, recalling negotiations to form a coalition after the October 2016 election took three months. | “The fear is whether there will be a possibility to form a government,” said Arnar Thor Jonsson, a law professor at Reykjavik University, recalling negotiations to form a coalition after the October 2016 election took three months. |
| Since the 2008 financial crisis, when Iceland’s three major banks collapsed and the country teetered on the verge of bankruptcy, it has made a spectacular recovery with robust growth of 7.2% in 2016 and unemployment at an enviable 2.5%. | Since the 2008 financial crisis, when Iceland’s three major banks collapsed and the country teetered on the verge of bankruptcy, it has made a spectacular recovery with robust growth of 7.2% in 2016 and unemployment at an enviable 2.5%. |
| A year ago, snap elections were called after prime minister Sigmundur David Gunnlaugsson was pressured to resign when he was named in the Panama Papers scandal exposing offshore tax havens. | A year ago, snap elections were called after prime minister Sigmundur David Gunnlaugsson was pressured to resign when he was named in the Panama Papers scandal exposing offshore tax havens. |
| More than 600 Icelanders – in a country of just 335,000 people – were also named in the documents, including Benediktsson, then finance minister. Benediktsson still managed to build a coalition holding a one-seat majority in parliament with the centre-right Reform party and the centrist Bright Future which quit after nine months because the prime minister had covered up his father’s recommendation letter for a convicted paedophile who sought to restore his civil rights. | More than 600 Icelanders – in a country of just 335,000 people – were also named in the documents, including Benediktsson, then finance minister. Benediktsson still managed to build a coalition holding a one-seat majority in parliament with the centre-right Reform party and the centrist Bright Future which quit after nine months because the prime minister had covered up his father’s recommendation letter for a convicted paedophile who sought to restore his civil rights. |
| Independence party supporters still view it as the main force for economic stability and growth. Nearly half of Iceland’s postwar prime ministers came from the eurosceptic party. Iceland’s EU membership bid ended in acrimony in 2015 over fishing rights. | Independence party supporters still view it as the main force for economic stability and growth. Nearly half of Iceland’s postwar prime ministers came from the eurosceptic party. Iceland’s EU membership bid ended in acrimony in 2015 over fishing rights. |