Political stability again at stake in Iceland’s polls

Icelanders started voting on Saturday in an election that could have a messy outcome with a record nine parties likely to enter parliament, making it difficult to find common ground on topics like climate change and healthcare.

The North Atlantic island of 371,000 citizens has seen a period of stability since 2017 under the ruling left-right coalition, after years of political scandals and distrust of politicians following the 2008 financial crisis.

The current government coalition led by Prime Minister Katrín Jakobsdóttir’s Left-Green Movement won its mandate on a promise to secure stability after Icelanders went to polls five times from 2007 to 2017.

In 2017, the Left-Greens, who call themselves a “radical left wing party,” teamed up with unlikely partners - the pro-business Independence Party and the centre-right Progressive Party - to the anger of some in the party grassroots.

While Jakobsdóttir remains popular, polls suggest her party will lose support, marking the end of her coalition. Support for the Independence Party, Iceland’s biggest party, is also declining, but the election result may still give former Prime Minister Bjarni Benediktsson a mandate to form a new government.