Left-Green Movement

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Left-Green Movement
Vinstrihreyfingin – grænt framboð
Chairperson Katrín Jakobsdóttir
Vice-chairperson Björn Valur Gíslason
Chairperson of the parliamentary group Auður Lilja Erlingsdóttir
Chairperson of the municipal council Álfheiður Ingadóttir
Founded 6 February 1999
Split from People's Alliance
Headquarters Suðurgata 3,
101 Reykjavík
Youth wing Young Left-Greens
Ideology
Political position Left-wing
International affiliation none
European affiliation Nordic Green Left Alliance
Colours Red, Green
Seats in the parliament
7 / 63
Website
www.vg.is

Politics of Iceland
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Elections
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The Left-Green Movement (Icelandic: Vinstrihreyfingin – grænt framboð, also known by its acronym VG) is a left-wing political party in Iceland.

It was founded in 1999 by a few members of Alþingi who did not approve of the planned merger of the left-leaning political parties in Iceland that resulted in the founding of the Social Democratic Alliance (Samfylkingin). The Left-Green Movement focuses on democratic socialist values, feminism, and environmentalism, as well as increased democracy and direct involvement of the people in the administration of the country. The party opposes Iceland's involvement in NATO and also the U.S. invasion and occupation of Iraq and Afghanistan. The party rejects membership of the European Union and supports the Palestinian cause in the Middle East. It supports the mutual adaptation and integration of immigrants into Icelandic society as necessary.[4]

The Left-Green Movement is a member of the Nordic Green Left Alliance.[5]

The Left-Green Movement has about 3,000 members. The party chair is Katrín Jakobsdóttir, MP. The vice chair is Björn Valur Gíslason The secretary-general of the party is Auður Lilja Erlingsdóttir.

In the 1999 parliamentary elections the Left-Green Movement took 9.1% of the vote and six seats in the Alþingi. It had five members in the 63-seat Icelandic parliament after the 2003 elections where it polled 8.8% of the vote. After the 2007 elections the party had 9 seats in parliament, having received 14.3% of the vote.

In 2009 the Left-Green Movement joined the Social Democratic Alliance as the minor partner in a coalition government after the government of the Alliance and the liberal-conservative Independence Party collapsed.[6] In the subsequent elections, it rose from 9 seats to 14, becoming Iceland's third-largest party (close behind Independence) with 21,7% of the vote, which is the second largest outcome of a left socialist party in Iceland, after the former communist People's Alliance in 1978 when it got 22.9% of the vote. The party, gained one seat in addition, when a non-party parliamentarian joined the party.[7] Since then, three members of the parliamentary group have left the party. One joined the centrist Progressive Party and two others are now non-partisans. Currently, the party has 12 seats in the parliament.

Contents

Electoral results [edit]

Parliament (Althing) [edit]

Election year # of
overall votes		  % of
overall vote		 # of
overall seats won		 +/–
1999 Steady 15,115 Steady 9.1 (#4)
6 / 63
 Steady 0
2003 Increase 16,129 Decrease 8.8 (#4)
5 / 63
 Decrease 1
2007 Increase 26,136 Increase 14.3 (#3)
9 / 63
 Increase 4
2009 Increase 40,581 Increase 21.7 (#3)
14 / 63
 Increase 5
2013 Decrease 20,546 Decrease 10.9 (#4)
7 / 63
 Decrease 4

Parliamentarians and Ministers in the Icelandic Cabinet [edit]

Parliamentarian Since Title Constituency
Steingrímur J. Sigfússon Steingrímur J. Sigfússon.jpg 23 April 1983 Chair and Minister of Industries and Innovation. North East Constituency
Katrín Jakobsdóttir Katrín Jakobsdóttir.jpg 12 May 2007 Vice-Chair and Minister of Education, Science and Culture Reykjavík North Constituency
Ögmundur Jónasson Ögmundur Jónasson.jpg 8 April 1995 Minister of the Interior South West Constituency
Svandís Svavarsdóttir 2009 Minister for the Environment and Natural Resources Reykjavík South Constituency
Jón Bjarnason Jón Bjarnason.jpg 8 May 1999 Parliamentarian North West Constituency
Álfheiður Ingadóttir Álfheiður Ingadóttir.jpg 12 May 2007 Parliamentarian Reykjavík South Constituency
Árni Þór Sigurðsson Árni Þór Sigurðsson.jpg 12 May 2007 Parliamentarian Reykjavík North Constituency

References [edit]

  1. ^ a b Parties and Elections in Europe: The database about parliamentary elections and political parties in Europe, by Wolfram Nordsieck
  2. ^ "Iceland could be EU member by 2011". EUobserver. Retrieved 26. november 2012. 
  3. ^ a b The Reykjavík Grapevine Election Guide 2013, The Reykjavík Grapevine, April 5, 2013
  4. ^ "The Left-Green Movement". Left-Green Movement homepage. Retrieved 19. september 2010. 
  5. ^ "The Left-Green Movement of Iceland". Nordic Green Left Alliance. Retrieved 19. september 2010. 
  6. ^ "Icelandic centre-left coalition secures majority in parliamentary elections". Wikinews. Retrieved 19. september 2010. 
  7. ^ "Independent Icelandic MP joins Left Greens". IceNews. Retrieved 19. september 2010. 

External links [edit]
Parliament (63):
Outside Parliament:
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