| Parliament name (generic / translated) |
Althingi / Parliament |
| Structure of parliament |
Unicameral |
| LEGAL FRAMEWORK |
| Electoral Law |
16 May 2000
last amendment to the electoral law: 26.03.2003 |
| Mode of designation |
directly elected 63 |
| Constituencies |
Multi member constituencies of10 to 11 seats each. The exact number and boundaries of constituencies are determined by the Electoral Law. |
| Voting system |
Proportional:
Party list system using closed party lists.
Fifty four of the 63 seats are allocated on the basis of constituency results (d'Hondt). The nine remaining seats are supplementary seats attached to particular constituencies. Supplementary seats are allocated according to the d'Hondt method, in order to give each party a number of seats in proportion to its share of the national vote. A party must win 5% of the national vote to obtain a supplementary seat. Vacancies arising between general elections are filled by deputy members (substitutes) elected at the same time as titular members, in the order of their appearance on the party list in question.
Voting is not compulsory. |
| Voter requirements |
- age: 18 years
- Icelandic citizenship
- legal residence in the country (citizens legally residing abroad and having resided in Iceland for some time can also vote under certain conditions)
|
| CANDIDATES |
| Eligibility |
Qualified electors
- age: 18 years
- Icelandic citizenship (citizens of "unblemished character")
|
| Incompatibilities |
- Supreme Court judges
- Ombudsman
- President of the Republic
|
| Candidacy requirements |
- each party list of candidates must be supported by a given number of electors; the number needed is 30 to 40 times the number of representatives of the constituency in question |
Compare data for parliamentary chambers in the Electoral system module
