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ICELAND
Althingi (Parliament)
ELECTIONS IN 2009

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A historical Archive of past election results for this chamber can be found on a separate page

Parliament name (generic / translated) Althingi / Parliament
Structure of parliament Unicameral
BACKGROUND
Dates of election / renewal (from/to) 25 April 2009
Purpose of elections Elections were held for all the seats in Parliament following the premature dissolution of this body on 13 March 2009. Elections had previously taken place on 12 May 2007.
The April 2009 elections were held against the backdrop of the global financial crisis which brought down the Government in January 2009. They were constitutionally due by May 2011.

In the previous elections held in May 2007 then Prime Minister Geir Haarde's Independence Party (IP) won 25 seats. The IP has dominated Icelandic politics since the country gained independence from Denmark in 1944. Since 1995 it had led a coalition government with the Progressive Party (PP). After the 2007 elections however Mr. Haarde formed a new coalition government with the Social Democratic Alliance Party (SDA) which took 18 seats.

The nation of 315 000 inhabitants had enjoyed rapid economic growth thanks to investments in the financial sector. However the financial crisis that erupted in the United States in 2008 severely damaged Iceland's economy. In October 2008 the country's three main banks collapsed within the space of a week. The national debt soared to ten times the gross domestic product.

Despite emergency aid of nearly US$ 1.4 billion under the International Monetary Fund (IMF) bailout plan and an additional loan of US$ 2.5 billion from its Nordic neighbours (Finland Norway Denmark and Sweden) the country's currency the krona continued to plummet and unemployment and inflation spiralled. The IMF predicted that the economy would shrink by 9.6 per cent in 2009 the biggest slump since independence. On 24 January 2009 nearly 7 000 citizens protested in front of the parliament building demanding that the Prime Minister resign. The Prime Minister tried in vain to save the situation by proposing early elections in May but ultimately announced that he would step down on 26 January.

On 1 February 2009 a caretaker government was formed by the SDA and the Left - Green Movement (LGM). Ms. Johanna Sigurdardottir (SDA) became the country's first female prime minister.

On 13 March President Olafur Ragnar Grimsson issued a decree dissolving parliament and calling elections for 25 April. Former Prime Minister Haarde announced that he would not run for health reasons. Mr. Bjarni Benediktsson Jr. led the IP in the 2009 elections.

The main contenders were the SDA the LGM the IP the PP and the Liberal Party (which took four seats in 2004). Two new parties formed after the financial crisis - the Civic Movement (CM) and the Democracy Movement (DC) - were also vying for seats.

Although the SDA and the LGM said they would form a new coalition government they disagreed on a key issue the country's accession to the European Union (EU). Ms. Sigurdardottir's SDA pledged to join the EU and introduce its currency the euro in order to save the country's economy. The LGM on the other hand led by Finance Minister Steingrimur Sigfusson proposed a currency union with Norway. It pledged to organize a referendum before the country joins the EU as did the CM.

The other parties were also divided over EU membership. The IP argued that accession would not be in the country's interests because Iceland's fisheries would be regulated by the EU while the PP promised to start discussions on EU membership.

In all 85.10 per cent of some 228 000 registered voters turned out at the polls.

The SDA came in first with 20 seats; its coalition partner the LGM took 14. The IP and the PP took 16 and nine seats respectively. The CM won four while the LP and the DC failed to win parliamentary representation.

The number of women increased to 27 (42.86 per cent) up from 20 (31.75 per cent) in the 2007 elections. The elections also resulted in a high turnover of members with 27 candidates being elected to parliament for the first time.

On 15 May the newly elected Parliament held its first session and elected Ms. Ásta R. Jóhannesdóttirof (SDA) as its new Speaker.

In the meantime on 11 May the SDA and the LGM formed a new coalition government thus renewing Ms. Sigurdardottir's premiership. It was the first left-wing government in Iceland. For the first time in over six decades the IP did not participate in the government.
STATISTICS
Voter turnout
Round no 125 April 2009
Number of registered electors
Voters
Blank or invalid ballot papers
Valid votes
227'896
193'934 (85.1%)
6'754
187'180
Notes
Distribution of votes
Round no 1
Political Group Candidates Votes %
Social Democratic Alliance (SDA) 55'758 29.79
Independence Party (IP) 44'369 23.70
Left - Green Movement (LGM) 40'580 21.68
Progressive Party (PP) 27'699 14.80
Civic Movement (CM) 13'519 7.22
Distribution of seats
Round no 1
Political Group Total Gain/Loss
Social Democratic Alliance (SDA) 20 2
Independence Party (IP) 16 -9
Left - Green Movement (LGM) 14 5
Progressive Party (PP) 9 2
Civic Movement (CM) 4
Distribution of seats according to sex
Men
Women
Percent of women
36
27
42.86%
Distribution of seats according to age
Distribution of seats according to profession
Comments
Source: Parliament (04.05.2009 14.12.2011)

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