Iceland presidential election, June 25th 2016

[Zanas]

Next Saturday, Iceland elects their next President. Presidential elections have a tendency of being uncontested in Iceland, but this time there are a number of candidates since incumbent President Olafur doesn't run again (he's been around 20 years...). The election is first past the post, to the best of my knowledge.

Candidates are almost always independents in these races, at least they don't show partisan affiliation. There seems to be 4 main candidates :

- Gudni Johannesson, a senior history teacher at the University of Iceland, whose specialty, among others, is... the Icelandic presidency. He seems somewhat progressive, he wants to put through the constitutional reform buried in 2013 by the arrival of the IP+PP government. He currently polls around 50-55 %.

- David Oddsson, Prime Minister for IP in 1991-2004, and perhaps even more symptomatically Governor of Iceland's Central Bank from 2005 to 2009... when he was hired as Morgunbladid editor in chief, one of Iceland's main newspapers... I don't think I need to describe him more, he polls around 16-20 %.

- Andri Snaer Magnason, a prominent author published in 30 countries, seems somewhat environmentalist. Polls 10-15 %.

- Halla Tomasdottir, a businesswoman, founder of Audur Capital, seemingly the only financial firm not having gone bankrupt in 2009, and oriented on empowering women in the financial world. She was among the organisers of the "National Assembly" in 2009, when 1,200 citizens were randomly chosen and 300 other activists gathered to discuss the after-crisis. She seems on the rise with 7-12 %.

There are 5 other minor candidates, including a 3-time candidate peace activist, another author, a humanitarian nurse, an ethnologist-healer, and a protest candidate without any kind of clear ideology (Sturla Jonsson, leader of the... Sturla Jonsson party).

There is no great suspense, but the kind of candidates running makes Iceland an FF country, on and on. Hopefully Oddsson ends 3rd or 4th.

[🦀🎂🦀🎂]

Hilarious how Oddson is running. Most politicians with his legacy would probably be living in Bermuda with a big pile of cash.

[Grand Wizard Lizard of the Klan]

Boring candidates to be honest.

[Zanas]

Boring candidates to be honest.

If you compare them to Jon Gnarr, yes. Anyway being boring seems to be the whole point of the Presidential election in that country.

[MASHED POTATOES. VOTE!]

Next Saturday, Iceland elects their next President. Presidential elections have a tendency of being uncontested in Iceland, but this time there are a number of candidates since incumbent President Olafur doesn't run again (he's been around 20 years...). The election is first past the post, to the best of my knowledge.

Wasn't he reconsidering it some time ago?

[Zanas]

Next Saturday, Iceland elects their next President. Presidential elections have a tendency of being uncontested in Iceland, but this time there are a number of candidates since incumbent President Olafur doesn't run again (he's been around 20 years...). The election is first past the post, to the best of my knowledge.

Wasn't he reconsidering it some time ago?

Indeed. He had previously said he wouldn't run, then after Panama papers he reconsidered and said he would, then when David Oddsson declared he said he was satisfied with the slate of candidates as it was and withdrew again...

[MASHED POTATOES. VOTE!]

Iceland is a bit like Singapore with frequent uncontested presidential elections. The previous President of Singapore was "elected", or rather declared winner by a walkover after the deadline, on both occasions.

I guess that's about the only similarity between Iceland and Singapore.

[Zanas]

Iceland is a bit like Singapore with frequent uncontested presidential elections. The previous President of Singapore was "elected", or rather declared winner by a walkover after the deadline, on both occasions.

I guess that's about the only similarity between Iceland and Singapore.

I'd say they both grow bananas and built their economic success on dubious financial operations.

[Cranberry]

Lol at David Oddson running.

This Gudni guy seems to have it in the bag though, if the polls you quoted can be trusted. Does the winner need 50% or just a simple majority.

Man I wish this election was two weeks later, because I'm flying up there in July. Would have been fun to experience first hand, I guess.

[MASHED POTATOES. VOTE!]

Iceland is a bit like Singapore with frequent uncontested presidential elections. The previous President of Singapore was "elected", or rather declared winner by a walkover after the deadline, on both occasions.

I guess that's about the only similarity between Iceland and Singapore.

I'd say they both grow bananas and built their economic success on dubious financial operations.

Don't know about growing bananas, but some people certainly went bananas

[Oak Hills]

What powers does the Icelandic president even have?

[Grand Wizard Lizard of the Klan]

What powers does the Icelandic president even have?

He can summon infinite fish-shooting cannon.

[Zanas]

What powers does the Icelandic president even have?

He can summon infinite fish-shooting cannon.

I would have answered geothermal power, but your answer is infinitely better, and a golden standard of Atlas humor.

Kalwejt -> bananas are grown in geothermal greenhouses, as it happens.

Cranberry -> can you read ? My OP says it's FPTP.

[Cranberry]

Cranberry -> can you read ? My OP says it's FPTP.

It appears as if I sadly am unable to.

Given that, it's decided anyway already. Say hæ to Forsetin Gudni, everyone.

[Nhoj]

Apparently 10% of the population is in France for the game. So turnout will likely be low.
http://icelandreview.com/news/2016/06/24/low-voter-turnout-expected-election

[Zanas]

Seems Gudni has it in the bag, but had lost traction in the final days and ends with 38 %, as opposed to businesswoman Halla gaining a lot of traction and ending high at 27 %. David Oddsson seems to get 16 %, but the final results are not in yet.

[Zanas]

Guðni won the election with 39.1% of the votes. Halla received 27.9%, Andri Snær 14.3%, Davíð 13.7% and Sturla 3.5%. The turnout was 75.7%.

Good to see Oddsson finish 4th, I guess.

[Antonio the Sixth]

Guðni won the election with 39.1% of the votes. Halla received 27.9%, Andri Snær 14.3%, Davíð 13.7% and Sturla 3.5%. The turnout was 75.7%.

Good to see Oddsson finish 4th, I guess.

Indeed. Decent result all around.