Social Democrats Claim Majority of Seats in Icelandic Elections

Helsinki, Dec 1 (NationPress) The results of Iceland's parliamentary election, announced on Sunday, show that the opposition Social Democratic Alliance has become the largest party, obtaining 15 seats, which is an increase of nine seats from the previous election.

The Liberal Reform Party also made notable progress, winning 11 seats, an increase of six. Meanwhile, the People's Party gained four seats, bringing its total to 10, while the Center Party added five seats, resulting in a total of eight seats.

The three parties currently in the ruling coalition faced a serious setback, only managing to secure 19 seats in total. The Independence Party, led by outgoing Prime Minister Bjarni Benediktsson, lost two seats, leaving it with 14 seats. The Progressive Party experienced an even greater loss, shedding eight seats to hold on to just five seats.

The Left-Green Movement was entirely ousted from parliament, losing all eight seats it previously held, as reported by the Xinhua news agency.

As per Iceland's Constitution and electoral regulations, a majority government must have at least 32 seats in the 63-member parliament. Since no single party achieved an absolute majority, it will be crucial for coalition talks among various parties to establish the next government.