Left-Green Movement

Left-Green Movement
Vinstrihreyfingin – grænt framboð
Chairperson Katrín Jakobsdóttir
Vice-chairperson Björn Valur Gíslason
Chairperson of the parliamentary group Svandís Svavarsdóttir
Chairperson of the municipal council Bjarkey Gunnarsdóttir
Founded 6 February 1999
Split from People's Alliance
Headquarters Suðurgata 3,
101 Reykjavík
Youth wing Young Left-Greens
Ideology Democratic socialism[1]
Eco-socialism[1]
Euroscepticism[2]
Feminism[3]
Pacifism[3]
Political position Left-wing
European affiliation Nordic Green Left Alliance
International affiliation None
Colours           Red and Green
Seats in the Althing
10 / 63
Website
www.vg.is
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The Left-Green Movement (Icelandic: Vinstrihreyfingin – grænt framboð, also known by its acronym VG) is a left-wing and green political party in Iceland.

History

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 Daníel Haukur Arnarsson.

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, after the elections of 2013, the party is in the opposition and has 7 seats in the parliament.

Electoral results

Election Votes % Seats +/– Position Government
1999 15,115 9.1
6 / 63
 Increase 6 Increase 4th Opposition
2003 16,129 8.8
5 / 63
 Decrease 1 Steady 4th Opposition
2007 26,136 14.3
9 / 63
 Increase 4 Increase 3rd Opposition
2009 40,581 21.6
14 / 63
 Increase 5 Steady 3rd Coalition
2013 20,546 10.8
7 / 63
 Decrease 7 Decrease 4th Opposition
2016 30,166 15.9
10 / 63
 Increase 3 Increase 2nd TBD

Chairpersons

ChairpersonPeriod
Steingrímur J. Sigfússon1999–2013
Katrín Jakobsdóttir2013–present

Members of Parliament

Since the elections in 2013, the Left-Green Movement has seven members of parliament.

Member of ParliamentSinceTitleConstituency
Steingrímur J. Sigfússon 1983 Northeast Constituency
Katrín Jakobsdóttir 2007 Chair Reykjavik Constituency North
Ögmundur Jónasson 1995 Southwest Constituency
Svandís Svavarsdóttir 2009 Leader of the Parliamentary Group Reykjavik Constituency South
Lilja Rafney Magnúsdóttir 2009 Northwest Constituency
Bjarkey Gunnarsdóttir 2013 Northeast Constituency
Steinunn Þóra Árnadóttir 2014 Became a Member of Parliament when Árni Þór Sigurðsson left office mid-term. Reykjavik Constituency North

References

  1. 1 2 Nordsieck, Wolfram. "Parties and Elections in Europe". parties-and-elections.eu. Retrieved 15 October 2016.
  2. ↑ "Iceland could be EU member by 2011". EUobserver. Retrieved 26 November 2012.
  3. 1 2 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. ↑ Wikinews:Icelandic centre-left coalition secures majority in parliamentary elections
  7. ↑ "Independent Icelandic MP joins Left Greens". IceNews. Retrieved 19 September 2010.
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