Iceland

[cwelsch]

Anybody know Icelandic politics?  I only speak English fluently, some German, and less Spanish.  The google translator doesn't have Icelandic in the list, so I can't read any of their political sites.  I know the easily available stuff on Iceland, but that's usually facts and history, light on current events or analysis.


Independence Party - old party, formed in '29 by a merger of Conservatives and Liberals, center-right, pro-NATO

Social Democratic Alliance - formed 2000 by old SDP, Women's Alliance, section  of People's ALliance

Progressive Party - liberal party, formed 1916 by Farmer's Party and Independent Farmers

Left Green Movement - formed in '98 by some of People's Alliance (which was a '68 collection of Socialist Unity Party and Social Dems), anti-NATO

Liberal Party - founded '98 by former Minister, social liberals


It's awfully hard to find stuff, they're so small and neutral that they're almost completely ignored.

[cwelsch]

Hmm, interesting.  Guess I'd probably vote Liberal Party, then.

Like 6 out of every 10 Icelanders live in Reykjavik.

[cwelsch]

I've learned about Medieval Iceland and the Althing (since 900-something AD, oldest legislature in the world) and how they were really libertarian.  Interesting model, it lasted a few hundred years.

It's awkward translating politics from country to country and time to time.  Even trying to pick old US parties is problematic because the issues were in many cases quite different and often regional (rural vs. coastal in the US, then Southern and populists versus east coast and business).