Chamber:
	Althingi
Dates of elections / renewal (from/to):
	8 April 1995
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:
	Main campaign issues for the 1995 elections concerned the country’s economy, the important fishing industry and maritime resources management, and social security. The outgoing centre-right coalition Government headed by Prime Minister David Oddson had introduced an economic austerity programme which succeeded in reducing inflation and the balance of payments deficit but had had some adverse social effects, especially in failing to control the unemployment rate. In foreign affairs, only the Social Democrats (SDP) supported close ties with the European Union, with the Government being opposed to a great extent in concern for the country’s fishing gains and its reluctance to share these. On polling day, the conservative Independence Party (IP) of Mr. Oddson retained its leading parliamentary position over the second-place Progressive Party (PP), an agrarian centrist group led by Mr. Halldor Asgrimsson. The SDP of Foreign Affairs Minister Jon Baldvin Hannibalsson, despite losing three seats, retained just enough to give it and its partner IP the narrowest of majorities: 32 seats to 31 for its opponents. On this basis, President of the Republic Vigdis Finnbogadottir asked Mr. Oddson to remain as Prime Minister. The latter announced the formation of a new centre-right coalition with the PP on 22 April; this new Government was sworn in the following day.

STATISTICS

Round no 1 (8 April 1995): Elections results
Number of registered electors	192,058
Voters	167,745 (87.3%)
Blank or invalid ballot papers	2,702
Valid votes	165,043

Round no 1: Distribution of votes
Political Group	Votes	%
Independence Party (IP)	61,183	37.1
Progressive Party (PP)	38,484	23.3
People’s Alliance (PA)	23,596	14.3
Social Democratic Party (SDP)	18,845	11.4
Awakening of the Nation	11,806	7.2
Women’s Alliance	8,031	4.9
Others	3,098	1.9

Round no 1: Distribution of seats
Political Group	Total	Gain/Loss
Independence Party (IP)	25	-1
Progressive Party (PP)	15	+2
People’s Alliance (PA)	9	=
Social Democratic Party (SDP)	7	-3
Awakening of the Nation	4	+4
Women’s Alliance	3	-2
Others	0	=

Distribution of seats according to sex:
Men:	47
Women:	16

Distribution of seats according to age:
30-39 years	9
40-49 years	28
50-59 years	23
60-69 years	3