Iceland could see its own 'Jacinda Ardern' take power

  • 03/11/2017
Left-Green movement leader Katrin Jakobsdottir could become Prime Minister, if she forms a left-wing coalition government.
Left-Green movement leader Katrin Jakobsdottir could become Prime Minister, if she forms a left-wing coalition government. Photo credit: Facebook/ Katrin Jakobsdottir

A young left-leaning political leader could form a new coalition in Iceland, drawing parallels with Jacinda Ardern taking power as Prime Minister of New Zealand.

Left-Green movement leader Katrin Jakobsdottir could become Prime Minister, if she forms a coalition government, despite the incumbent party getting the most votes.

Ms Jakobsdottir's party came second at the election last Saturday, but Iceland's president has asked her to form a left-wing coalition that could see the right-wing government ousted.

The 41-year-old former journalist led a campaign focussed on inequality, and promises to boost funding for health and education.

She served as education minister for Iceland's first and, so far, only left-leaning government, which took power in 2008.

Incumbent Prime Minister Bjarni Benediktsson's right-wing coalition won the most seats, but fell short of a majority, leaving Ms Jakobsdottir the opportunity to form a coalition with the Social Democrats, the Progressive Party and the Pirate Party.

She could from a slim majority of 32 seats in the 63-seat Parliament.

Mr Benediktsson called a snap election in September, after less than a year in government, as a scandal involving his father prompted the Bright Future party to drop out of his ruling coalition, citing a breach of trust.

The previous government was defeated last year in the wake of revelations in the Panama Papers, about then-Prime Minister Sigmundur David Gunnlaugsson's use of offshore tax havens.

Iceland's President has asked Ms Jakobsdottir to form a government and she told reporters she has a "formal mandate" to do so.

Reuters/ Newshub.