Icelandic parliamentary elections to feature nearly equal gender representation among candidates

The upcoming parliamentary elections in Iceland, scheduled for November 30, 2024, will see a balanced number of male and female candidates. Of the 1,213 individuals running, 53% are men (643 candidates), while women account for 47% (569 candidates), with one candidate identifying as non-binary.

The representation of genders varies among political parties. For example, the Progress Party has an equal number of male and female candidates, totaling 63 each. Similarly, the Renewed Left has an identical number. The Independence Party presents 68 men and 58 women, while 66 men and 60 women are contesting for the People’s Party. The Socialist Party fields 68 men and 55 women. In the Democratic Party’s lineup, there are 53 men and 18 women, and the Central Party has nearly double the number of male candidates, with 83 men to 43 women. The Pirate Party has 51 men and 70 women, whereas the Social Democratic Party features 61 men and 65 women. The Left-Green Movement presents 55 men and 71 women.

The Responsible Future Party is fielding candidates in one constituency, Reykjavik North, with 11 men and three women on their list. An analysis of the top ten candidates from all parties shows a similar gender ratio, except for the Democratic Party, where women make up only about a quarter of the candidates in that bracket.

Candidate numbers are at a fifteen-year low, down from 1,282 in the last elections and significantly lower than the peak of 1,512 candidates in the 2013 elections.