Icelandic President convenes party leaders following Social Democratic Party’s election success

The President of Iceland has convened a meeting with party leaders following parliamentary elections where the Social Democratic Party emerged as the largest faction in the Althingi, Iceland’s parliament, according to final results from all electoral districts. The Independence Party managed to secure a defensive victory, while the People’s Party claimed the top position in the Southern constituency. Notably, Sigurður Ingi Jóhannsson from the Progressive Party was elected as an additional member.

At a recap event today, party leaders discussed the implications of the recent election outcomes. The Social Democrats garnered 20.8% of the votes, resulting in 15 parliamentary seats. In second place was the Independence Party with 19.4%, securing 14 seats, followed by the Reform Party with 15.8%, obtaining 11 seats.

Voter turnout for the elections was recorded at 80.2% from a total of 268,422 registered voters. Various media outlets across the Nordic countries highlighted the results, with Danish public broadcasting reporting a significant win for the Social Democrats.

In the wake of the election, the President confirmed meetings with party leaders to discuss the formation of a new government. This includes individual sessions with the Social Democratic leader, the Independence Party head, and leaders from other parties that secured seats.

Separately, discussions are underway regarding potentially invalidated ballots due to voter errors, which could affect seat allocations. Observers noted that previous comments by candidates urging voters to strike their names could complicate this matter, leading to inquiries into electoral law violations.

The elections represent a significant shift in the political landscape, with considerable seat losses for major parties compared to previous elections. The coming days will reveal the traction each party achieves in government formation discussions.