Social democrats gain and incumbents are punished in Iceland’s election

REYKJAVIK, Iceland (AP) — Voters in Iceland joined a global trend of punishing incumbents in a parliamentary election, with a center-left party winning the largest share of votes in the North Atlantic island nation.

With all the votes tallied on Sunday, the Social Democratic Alliance had won 15 seats in the 63-seat parliament, the Althingi — more than doubling its total — and secured almost 21% of votes, according to national broadcaster RUV. The conservative Independence Party, which led the outgoing government, had 14 seats and a 19.4% vote share, and the centrist Liberal Reform Party 11 seats and about 16% of votes.

Three other parties also won seats. Social Democrat leader Kristrún Mjöll Frostadóttir, 36, will likely try to seek coalition partners to command a parliamentary majority.

Icelanders voted Saturday after disagreements over immigration, energy policy and the economy forced Prime Minister Bjarni Benediktsson to pull the plug on his coalition government and call an early election.

Counting was delayed in some areas by snowstorms that blocked roads and slowed delivery of ballot boxes to count centers.

Supporters attend the Samfylkingin Social Democratic Party celebration party following the closure of the polling stations, in Reykjavik, Saturday Nov. 30, 2024. (AP Photo/Marco di Marco)

Since the 2008 financial crisis devastated the economy and ushered in a new era of political instability, Iceland has been governed by multi-party coalitions of various hues.

Like many Western countries, Iceland has been buffeted by the rising cost of living and immigration pressures, and voters are taking it out on incumbent governments. Benediktsson’s Independence Party and its coalition partners in the outgoing government, the Progressive Party and the Left Greens, all saw their vote share and seat count decline, with the Left Greens losing all eight of its parliamentary seats.

Iceland, a volcanic island nation tucked below the Arctic Circle with a population of less than 400,000, is proud of its democratic traditions. The Althingi, founded in 930 by Viking settlers, is arguably the world’s oldest legislature.

Election turnout was high by international standards, with 80% of registered voters casting ballots.