Parties rush to finalize candidate lists for parliamentary elections in Iceland

Political parties in Iceland are in a rush to finalize their candidate lists for the upcoming parliamentary elections scheduled for November 30. The deadline for submitting candidacies is noon on October 31. To run, candidates must be eligible voters in Iceland, possess an unblemished reputation, and must not hold the position of a Supreme Court judge.

Currently, there are 63 parliamentary seats available, but not all interested candidates will secure a position. Alma D. Möller, the Icelandic Chief Epidemiologist, has announced her candidacy for the Social Democratic Party in the Southwest constituency. Having served as Chief Epidemiologist since 2018, she is the first woman to hold this office in Iceland.

The Pirate Party is organizing primaries from October 20 to 22, inviting all registered members to vote for candidates on the party’s lists across the constituencies. The election results will determine half of the seats for each constituency on the party list.

Former head of emergency medicine at Landspítalinn, Jón Magnús Kristjánsson, has also expressed interest in joining the Social Democratic Party’s list in Reykjavík, aiming to represent health and welfare professionals in Parliament.

Rósa Guðbjartsdóttir, the mayor of Hafnarfjörður, has announced her candidacy for the third position on the Independence Party’s list in the Southwest constituency, emphasizing her experience in municipal governance.

Lenya Rún Taha Karim, a deputy member of Parliament from the Pirate Party, seeks to lead the party list in Reykjavík, highlighting the need for fresh perspectives in politics.

Candidates face fierce competition as parties vie for prime listing positions, marking an active start to the election season. All final lists must be completed by October 31 to ensure compliance with electoral regulations.