“Earthquake in Icelandic politics”

“These results are huge news, this is a reversal of the party system,” says Eiríkur Bergmann, a professor of political science, about the parliamentary elections held yesterday.

“A precarious situation”

“The Independence Party has fallen below 20%. This is a precarious situation for that party. It has been a domineering party in Icelandic politics and has fallen below the Social Democratic Alliance and below the 20% mark. The Progressive Party lost badly even though they remained in. The Left-Green Movement has disappeared from parliament. This is a definite earthquake in Icelandic politics,” Bergmann reports.

He says the situation regarding government formation is complicated and believes that two governments seem to be on the cards based on the numbers. Both of them need to have the People’s Party on board, which would either negotiate towards the left or the right.

“There is nothing obvious about this,” Bergmann says, when asked.

What is most surprising?

“I am only surprised that the Independence Party is falling so low, I expected it to climb a little higher. Even though polls were predicting this, you had that feeling. I am also a little surprised that the Social Democratic Alliance went this high and how big the difference is between it and The Liberal Reform Party,” he answers.

“Then the devastation of the Left-Green Movement, even though the signs were there. Then more parties are saying goodbye, and the Pirate Party is leaving parliament. There are two parties leaving parliament, that is a bit much,” he adds.

“This is a big transition, this is a new political reality in the country.”