Deadline for parliamentary candidacies approaches as 29 lists submitted in Iceland

The deadline for submitting candidacies for the upcoming parliamentary elections is today at noon. By last night, a total of 29 candidate lists had been submitted for the elections set for next month. Should eleven political parties decide to run nationwide, this could increase the total number of lists to 66.

The Electoral Commission has reported that most submissions were made electronically, which significantly streamlines the process. Kristin Edwald, the chair of the Electoral Commission, emphasized the efficiency of electronic submissions over paper ones. Each party aiming to run in all constituencies is allowed to submit six lists. While twelve parties initiated the signature collection process, the Green Party has since withdrawn its candidacy; thus, a maximum of 66 candidate lists could still be received unless some groups are quietly gathering signatures in print form.

The Electoral Commission plans to meet with representatives of the candidacies at 6 PM today. Parties that encounter any issues will have until then to rectify them. After this consultation, the commission will review the submitted materials to confirm which candidacies are valid, with results expected by 4 PM on Sunday. Following this, there will be a 20-hour period for challenges, with the review committee having two days to issue rulings on any appeals made.

This marks a significant step as the race for the 2024 elections heats up, with increasing participation from various political entities in Iceland’s democratic process.