Iceland: Parliament, 28 October 2017

At stake in this election:

• 63 seats in the Icelandic Parliament (Alþingi)

Description of government structure:

• Chief of State: Chief of State: President Gudni Thorlacius JOHANNESSON (since 1 August 2016)
• Head of Government: Acting Prime Minister Bjarni BENEDIKTSSON (since 11 January 2017); Prime Minister BENEDIKTSSON resigned on 16 September 2017
• Assembly: Unicameral Parliament (Alþingi) with 63 seats

Description of electoral system:

• The 63 members of the Parliament (Alþingi) are directly elected in multi-seat constituencies by proportional representation vote to 4-year terms.

Last Election:

• The last parliamentary elections in Iceland occurred in 2016. The Independence Party won 21 seats and Bjarni BENEDIKTSSON became Prime Minister. BENEDIKTSSON has since resigned and the Parliament (Alþingi) has called for a snap election.

Main candidates in the election:

• Bright Future / Bjort framtid
  • Leader: Ottarr PROPPE
  • Seats won in last election: 4
• Independence Party / Sjalfstaedisflokkurinn
  • Leader: Bjarni BENEDIKTSSON
  • Seats won in last election: 21
• Left-Green Movement / Vinstrihreyfingin-graent frambod
  • Leader: Katrin JAKOBSDOTTIR
  • Seats won in last election: 10
• Pirate Party / Piratar
  • Leader: Birgitta JONSDOTTIR
  • Seats won in last election: 10
• Progressive Party / Framsoknarflokkurinn
  • Leader: Sigurdur Ingi JOHANNSSON
  • Seats won in last election: 8
• Reform / Vidreisn
  • Leader: Benedict JOHANNSSON
  • Seats won in last election: 0
• Social Democratic Alliance / Samfylkingin
  • Leader: Logi Mar EINARSSON
  • Seats won in last election: 3
• Sturla Jonsson
  • Leader: Sturla JONSSON
  • Seats won in last election: 0

Population and number of registered voters:

• Population: 339,747
• Registered Voters: 246,511

Gender Data:

• Female Population: 169,028
• Is Iceland a signatory to CEDAW: Yes (24 July 1980)
• Has Iceland ratified CEDAW: Yes (18 June 1985)
• Gender Quota: No
• Female candidates in this election: Yes
• Number of Female Parliamentarians: 30
• Human Development Index Position: 9
• Social Institutions and Gender Index (SIGI) Categorization: N/A

Disability Data:

• Is Iceland a signatory to CRPD: Yes (30 March 2007)
• Has Iceland ratified CRPD: Yes (23 September 2016)
• Population with a disability: 49,788