Members of Pirate Party decline top positions on candidate lists in Reykjavík ahead of 2024 elections

In a surprising turn of events ahead of the 2024 parliamentary elections, André Ingi Jónsson and Alexandra Briem, both members of the Pirate Party, have declined the positions offered to them on the party’s candidate lists in Reykjavík. Instead, they have opted for lower placements.

André Ingi, who placed fourth in the Pirate Party’s primary, was offered a position as the second candidate in the Reykjavík South constituency. However, he rejected this, stating he found it unacceptable to present voters with two men in their fifties at the top of the list. He has requested to be placed third on the list, below constituency leader Lenya Rún Taha Karim and Halldóra Mogensen.

Alexandra Briem, currently a city council member, finished sixth in the primary and was therefore entitled to take the third position on the list for Reykjavík South. Given that Dóra Björt Guðmundsdóttir, the party’s leader on the city council, has already secured a high spot on the party’s list for parliamentary elections, Alexandra prefers to be listed lower, suggesting the fourth position in Reykjavík North. She emphasized on social media the importance of avoiding both of them running for office simultaneously, noting that it would be more significant considering Dóra’s newfound eligibility for a parliamentary seat.

These decisions mark a notable shift in the party’s approach to the upcoming elections, reflecting both personal choices and a strategic consideration of representation within the candidate pool.