Icelandic President Halla Tómasdóttir granted the leader of the Social Democratic Alliance (SDA), Kristrún Mjöll Frostadóttir, a mandate to form a new government, Euractiv informed.
The mandate follows the Social Democrats’ significant success in Saturday’s election. The party won 20.8 per cent of the vote, securing 15 seats in the 63-seat parliament, the Althingi.
Economist Frostadóttir, 36, headed the SDA in October 2022. She focused on the Scandinavian welfare model and cost-of-living issues. The party’s revitalisation resulted in its major regional successes in recent elections.
I think a key issue for the next government must be to keep the economy stable and in good shape.
The next step for Frostadóttir is to form a 32-seat majority with other parties. A key player in the future coalition could be the Reform Party, which won 11 seats with 15.8 per cent of the vote. Inga Sæland, leader of the People’s Party, also voiced interest in joining a coalition with the SDA and the Reform Party.
The recent elections followed a burst of dissent within the previous coalition and growing public discontent over migration, energy policy and the housing crisis. This led to snap elections and the formation of a new government.
