Changes in Iceland
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Iceland became the first country in Europe to elect a majority of women MPs while the Nordic island joins Rwanda and Cuba with more women than men in political seats.
Iceland’s parliament will have 33 women and 30 male MPs in the run-up to elections in the by-elections that have left the right-wing party in power but weakened Prime Minister Katrin Jakobsdottir’s left-wing party.
“In a well-known and global way, the most important thing is that women are in the majority for the first time in the Icelandic parliament, and for the first time in Europe. This is good news,” said Gudni Johannesson, President of Iceland.
The only countries in the world with the largest female parliamentarians are Rwanda – with 61 pregnant women – and Cuba, according to Information about the World Bank. The Inter-Parliamentary Union is adding Nicaragua to the list.
Sweden with 47% was the highest country in Europe, while the old parliament in Iceland had 38% women. Iceland has won the list of the most equitable country among men and women in the world over the last 12 years, according to International Economic Conference.
The future of Iceland’s female prime minister is in jeopardy after her left-wing Green party failed to do well for the three parties, as did left alliance won more seats.
The winner of the election was an independent party, a strong party in Iceland led by Finance Minister Bjarni Benediktsson. It came first with 16 seats, the same as in 2017; and the Progressive rural party, which won five seats to 13 and was led by former Prime Minister Sigurdur Johansson. Left-Greens has eight seats lost to three, while the other left-wing parties have struggled.
The current government in Iceland had to deal with the Covid-19 epidemic as well it affects tourism, which has grown over the past 10 years to become the island’s largest business.
The island’s population of 370,000, which is overused, has been hit by economic and financial crises that are better off than the 2008 financial crisis when the three largest banks collapsed. But it is still the only Nordic country whose economy has not yet returned to its epidemics.
Prior to the election, the left-wing agreement passed advertising of the Banks Bank, the second successor to the three registered banks.
Jakobsdottir said on Sunday that the three parties should hold talks to maintain control. Johannesson said he would not give permission to any party to form a government but would wait for talks between the ruling parties.