Political activity intensifies in Iceland ahead of parliamentary session and elections

Political activity is ramping up in Iceland as political parties prepare for upcoming meetings, including party council meetings, central board meetings, and national assemblies. The Alþingi (Iceland’s parliament) will be convened on September 10, with the Prime Minister delivering his inaugural policy address the following day.

Parliamentary elections are scheduled to take place by the end of September 2025 at the latest, following the last elections on September 25, 2021. Since that time, the political landscape has been significantly altered, notably marked by the resignation of former Prime Minister Katrín Jakobsdóttir in April and the return of Bjarni Benediktsson.

The government has faced declining support since the state sold its stake in Íslandsbanki in March 2022. Recent polling shows support for the ruling coalition dwindling, with the Left-Green Movement (VG) at four percent, the Progressive Party at 6.6 percent, and the Independence Party at 18.5 percent. Conversely, the Social Democratic Alliance has seen a rise to 26.9 percent, while the Center Party has increased to 14.5 percent.

Upcoming party meetings include a council meeting by the Center Party in October and a similar meeting by VG in mid-August. The Independence Party plans a central board meeting at the end of August, and other significant gatherings are scheduled for late September and early October, with major discussions on party leadership and policies ahead.

Numerous contentious issues remain unaddressed from earlier in the year, pending deliberation in the next parliamentary session starting September 10, which is expected to bring further clarity on the political direction leading into the 2025 elections.