Icelandic election
(N.Z.P.A-Reuter—Copyright) REYKJAVIK, June 15. The Prime Minister of Iceland (Mr Johann Hafstein) announced today that he would resign after the defeat of his coalition government in the General Election.
The government's defeat was caused chiefly by an unexpected 9 per cent vote for a small Communist splinter group, the Liberal and Leftist Union, which, now with five of the 60 seats in the Icelandic Parliament —the oldest in the world—holds the balance of power. The coalition of the Conservative Independence Party and the Social Democratic Labour Party had held office for 12 years. The Independence Party lost one of its 23 seats and the Social Democrats, three of their nine. The Opposition Progressive (Farmers) Party also lost one seat, bringing its total down to 17, but the other main Opposition in the last Parliament, the Communist Party, which had seven seats, polled well. Observers say this indicates that the Liberal and Leftist Union breakaway group took votes from Rightwing parties rather than the Communists.
The final results of the voting are not yet available.
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Bibliographic details
Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32634, 16 June 1971, Page 17
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176Icelandic election Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32634, 16 June 1971, Page 17
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