Iceland held early parliamentary elections on 30 November, the sixth since 2008. Prime Minister Bjarni Benediktsson, who came to power in April after his predecessor resigned, called for elections in October after ending the coalition between his Independence Party, the Progressive Party, and the Left-Green Movement due to disagreements over immigration, energy policy, and the cost-of-living crisis. Out of the 63 Alþingi (Parliament) seats, the Social Democratic Alliance (Samfylkingin) won 15 seats with a vote share of 20.8 per cent, becoming the largest party. The incumbent Independence Party (Sjálfstæðisflokkurinn) secured 14 seats with a vote share of 19.4 per cent. The centre-right Liberal Reform Party (Viðreisn) secured 11 seats, with a vote share of 15.8 per cent. Voter turnout was 80.1 per cent, remaining nearly unchanged from 2021. 

Sources: Icelandic National Broadcasting Service, Euronews, Al Jazeera, International IDEA 

In the presidential elections that took place on 1 June, the top three candidates were women. Halla Tómasdóttir, an independent candidate, won with 34 per cent of the votes in the first-past-the-post voting system, where the candidate with the most votes wins regardless of the total number of votes cast. A businesswoman and investor, Tómasdóttir said she will focus on issues like youth mental health, tourism development, and artificial intelligence. Former Prime Minister Katrín Jakobsdóttir from the Left-Green Movement came second with 25.5 per cent, while independent Halla Hrund Logadóttir, who pledged to prioritize energy and environmental issues, gender equality, and to expand opportunities for all, finished third with 15.5 per cent.  46 per cent of the candidates were women. Tómasdóttir becomes Iceland’s second female president, following Vigdis Finnbogadottir, who became the world's first democratically elected female president in 1980. Although the president is largely ceremonial, she can veto legislation or call referendums. Voter turnout was 80.8 per cent, the highest among presidential elections since 1996.

Sources: Euronews, Iceland Monitor, Iceland Review (1), Iceland Review (2), Al Jazeera, International IDEA

On 24 October, more than a quarter of Iceland’s population went on a full-day strike against gender-based violence and pay discrimination. The crowd of over 100,000 women and non-binary people was joined by Prime Minister Katrín Jakobsdóttir and caused widespread disruptions, with schools, kindergartens and most banks having to close. It is the first strike of its kind since 1975, when a full-day strike by 90 per cent of Icelandic women resulted in the creation of a women’s political party and the election of the world’s first elected female president. Although the country at present is among the world’s most gender equal, research from the University of Iceland has found that 40 per cent of Icelandic women have experienced physical and/or sexual abuse in their lifetime. National statistics from 2022 reveal that Icelandic women earn 9.1 per cent less than Icelandic men, with a gap of over 25 per cent in some occupations.

Sources:  Kvennafri, The Global State of Democracy Indices, The Guardian, The Saga Cohort, Statistics Iceland

In a unanimous vote, Iceland’s parliament has approved legislation that bans conversion therapy related to sexual orientation, gender expression and gender identity. The new legislation, proposed by the Reform Party MP Hanna Katrín Friðriksson, garnered broad cross-party support. There were no votes against the law, with 53 MPs voting in favour, three abstaining, and seven being absent. According to the legislation, which will take effect on 1 January 2024, individuals who carry out or subject adults or children to conversion therapies could face sentences ranging from two to five years in prison. The LGBTQIA+ community and rights groups in Iceland have welcomed the legislation.

Sources: High North News, Parliament of Iceland - Alþingi, Jurist, Pink News