Chamber:
	Althingi
Dates of elections / renewal (from/to):
	10 May 2003
Purpose of elections:
	Elections were held for all the seats in Parliament on the normal expiry of the members' term of office.
Background and outcome of elections:
	On 10 May 2003, the country's estimated 211,000 registered voters went to the polls to elect the 63 members of Parliament in an election contested by seven parties. Some 88 per cent of the registered voters turned out to vote. Iceland is a member of both the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) and European Economic Association (EEA), and the turbulent EEA negotiations on access to the EU's internal market after enlargement had given rise to some debate on EU membership. Before the election, the country was governed by a centre-right coalition government formed by the Independence Party and the Progressive Party. The Independence Party leader and Prime Minister, Mr. David Oddsson, who had been in power for twelve years, was strongly opposed to EU membership while the Progressive Party was in favour. In his campaign, Mr Oddsson focused on his economic record and offers of tax cuts. He had the advantage of having provided several years of steady economic growth. Iceland's economy grew by an average of 5 per cent for six consecutive years before dipping slightly in 2002. Inflation and unemployment were also low, compared to elsewhere in the European Union and the Nordic countries. The opposition Social Democratic Alliance, headed by former Reykjavik Mayor Ms. Ingibjorg Sorlun Gisladottir, had pushed a campaign based largely on voter fatigue and a growing awareness that Iceland must do more to prevent a growing gap between rich and poor. Ms. Gisladottir promised to spend more of the country's revenue on housing, education and welfare. The Social Democratic Alliance also capitalised on criticism that the Independence Party had moved too slowly to reform a complex system set up in the 1980s, of distributing fishing quota licenses among Iceland's fisheries. However, the Social Democratic Alliance got less mileage out of its campaign to hold a referendum on whether Iceland should join the European Union. Mr Oddsson's conservative Independence Party won 22 of the 63 seats at stake, just two more than the rival Social Democratic Alliance, whose leader lost her own seat. With these results, the Independence Party remained the biggest force in Parliament despite losing four seats. The junior partner in the outgoing coalition, the Progressive Party, kept all of its 12 seats. The Independence Party continued in government in coalition with the liberal Progressive Party. Shortly after the elections, Mr Oddsson announced that he intended to stand down as Prime Minister in September 2004 when Progressive Party leader and Foreign Minister Mr. Halldor Asgrimsson would take over the post. This agreement formed a crucial part of the deal under which the Progressive Party prolonged the coalition.

STATISTICS

Round no 1 (10 May 2003): Elections results
Number of registered electors	211 289
Voters	185 392 (88 %)
Blank or invalid ballot papers	2 220
Valid votes	183 172

Round no 1: Distribution of votes
Political Group	Votes	%
Independence Party (IP)	61 701	33.68
Social Democratic Alliance Party	56 700	30.95
Progressive Party (PP)	32 484	17.73
Left - Green Alliance	16 129	8.81
Liberal Party	13 523	7.38

Round no 1: Distribution of seats
Political Group	Total
Independence Party (IP)	22
Social Democratic Alliance Party	20
Progressive Party (PP)	12
Left - Green Alliance	5
Liberal Party	4

Distribution of seats according to sex:
Men:	44
Women:	19
Percent of women:	30.16