Icelandic Socialist Party

The Icelandic Socialist Party (Icelandic: Sósíalistaflokkur Íslands; SFÍ) is a socialist political party in Iceland, which was founded on International Workers' Day (1 May) in 2017.

Not to be confused with People's Unity Party – Socialist Party.

Icelandic Socialist Party
Sósíalistaflokkur Íslands
AbbreviationSFÍ
FounderGunnar Smári
Founded1 May 2017 (2017-05-01)
HeadquartersBolholt 6, 104 Reykjavík
Youth wingUngir Sósíalistar
Pensioners' wingSósíalistar 55+[1]
Membership (2017)1,400
IdeologySocialism[2][3]
Democratic socialism[3]
Anti-neoliberalism[4]
Political positionLeft-wing[3]
Colours  Red
Althing
0 / 63
Reykjavík City Council
2 / 23
Election symbol
Website
sosialistaflokkurinn.is

History

According to Gunnar Smári the party already had 1,400 members at its foundation. At the beginning of May, a temporary board was selected at a meeting to prepare a "Socialist Congress" in the autumn of 2017.[5] Prior to the Congress the party selected four committees among its members by sortition, responsible for healthcare, housing, social welfare, and democratization of society.[6]

The party did not contest the 2017 Althing elections, as it declared itself to be in a "build-up phase", but ran lists in Reykjavík and Kópavogur municipalities in the municipal elections on 26 May 2018.[7] In Reykjavík, they received one of 23 seats with 6.4% of the vote.[8]

Ideology and policies

The architect behind the party is the editor and author Gunnar Smári, who at the launching of the party declared that it should be "an advocate for wage earners and all those who are poor, invisible and powerless. The opponents of the Icelandic Socialist Party are the rich and those who serve their interests".[9] The main points in the party platform are:

Parliamentary elections
Election Votes % Seats +/– Position Government
2021 8,181 4.1
0 / 63
 Steady 0 Steady 9th Extra-parliamentary

Reykjavík City Council elections
Election Leader Votes % Seats +/– Position Government
2018 Sanna Magdalena Mörtudóttir 3,758 6.4
1 / 23
 New 5th Opposition
2022 4,618 7.7
2 / 23
 Increase 1 5th

    References
    1. "Stefnuyfirlýsing Meistaradeildar Sósíalista". sosialistaflokkurinn.is. 29 August 2021. Archived from the original on 10 March 2022. Retrieved 3 September 2021.
    2. Nordsieck, Wolfram (2021). "Iceland". Parties and Elections in Europe. Archived from the original on 20 January 2013. Retrieved 31 July 2022.
    3. "Wahlcheck: Das wollen Islands Parteien". Deutsch-Isländische Gesellschaft Bremerhaven/Bremen. 11 September 2019. Archived from the original on 15 October 2021. Retrieved 8 August 2022.
    4. "Vindum ofan af nýfrjálshyggjunni". sosialistaflokkurinn.is. Archived from the original on 8 April 2022. Retrieved 5 September 2022.
    5. "Sósíalistaflokkur Íslands stofnaður". RÚV. 1 May 2017. Archived from the original on 3 September 2021. Retrieved 3 September 2021.
    6. "Socialists make policy by sortition". sosialistaflokkurinn.is. 3 July 2017. Archived from the original on 3 September 2021. Retrieved 3 September 2021.
    7. "Sósíalistaflokkurinn birtir framboðslista fyrir Reykjavík og Kópavog". Vísir.is. 1 May 2018. Archived from the original on 3 September 2021. Retrieved 3 September 2021.
    8. "Reykjavik Elections: Conservatives Come Out Ahead, Socialist Wins Seat". The Reykjavík Grapevine. 27 May 2018. Archived from the original on 3 September 2021. Retrieved 3 September 2021.
    9. "Gunnar Smári stofnar Sósíalistaflokk Íslands". RÚV. 11 April 2017. Archived from the original on 3 September 2021. Retrieved 3 September 2021.

    External references
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