2014 Velkanian general election

An **election** was held in the Velkanian Isles on 15 February 2014 to elect all members of the Orthing. Parliament decided the election's date after passing legislation on 10 November 2013, with the election being constitutionally mandated to fall between 1 February and 30 April 2014.

In the lead-up to the election, polling predicted a widespread increase in seats for the Liberal-Conservatives; Sif María Vilhjálmardattir had grown to be a widely popular figure throughout the country, and her method of campaigning that targeted women and young voters, who previously were opposed to the Liberal-Conservatives, was proving to be effective. The rise of the Liberal-Conservatives was considered to be coming at the expense of the Independence Party, who were seen in continuous decline during pre-election polling. Even besides the Independence Party, the rise of the Liberal-Conservatives was considered to have an adverse effect on all other political parties in the election, as a landslide victory was hotly anticipated.

After the conclusion of the election, the Liberal-Conservatives were near-unanimously considered to be the big winners, amassing a 25-seat increase and a near-majority on their own, totaling 45 seats. This was the greatest seat gain for the party in more than 30 years. With this victory, the Liberal-Conservatives won a plurality in parliament. While all other parties lost seats, most commentators agreed that the Independence Party and Social Democratic Party were the election's "true losers." The Independence Party lost their position as chief opposition and the largest right-wing party in parliament, losing 11 seats, the most of any party, and becoming parliament's third-largest party. Meanwhile, the Social Democrats lost their plurality and were expected to be pushed into the opposition.

Sif and the Liberal-Conservatives were tasked with forming a government, ultimately negotiating a coalition deal between the Liberal Conservatives and Centrists. The new government was sworn in on 30 March 2014. The results of the election resulted in a resignation as party leader from Davíð Brynnsteinsson, the then-Social Democratic party leader and prime minister.

## Date

On 10 November 2013, the Orthing passed legislation to hold the election on 15 February 2014. The Velkanian constitution mandates that all scheduled elections be held four years following the previous, between the first of the preceding month and the last of the succeeding month. This meant that the election could have been held between 1 February and 30 April 2014. The Velkanian constitution also allows for snap elections.

## Electoral system

The 105 members of the Orthing are elected at-large, with the Velkanian Isles having no individual electoral constituencies. Prior to the election, each party that is standing creates an electoral list of 105 candidates. All members of the electoral list must also have an assigned deputy should they be elected to parliament and subsequently resign; this prevents any seat from being vacant during a legislative term.

During the election, each voter casts their vote for one of the party lists. The system uses closed lists, meaning no voter can vote across lists or cross off names from the list they are voting for. Seats are then allocated using the d'Hondt method, with a 5% electoral threshold.

Only Velkanian citizens who are aged 17 and older on the day of the election may vote, while only Velkanian citizens aged 18 and older who have resided in the Velkanian Isles for a continuous period of at least five years may stand as candidates. Voting-eligible Velkanians who are residing abroad may also vote, but their ballots must be mailed-in at least four days prior to the date of the election.

## Contesting parties

The following parties were represented in parliament following the 2010 election.

## Aftermath

Following the certification of the results, it emerged that the Liberal-Conservatives won a plurality of seats, meaning that Sif María Vilhjálmardattir would be a highly likely contender for prime minister. As she held a plurality, Ragnhildur II entrusted Sif with forming a government on 17 February 2014.

Prior to the election, Sif swore off any potential coalition deal with the Independence Party or the Green-Socialist Party, calling them "radicals" and reaffirming her party's support for "moderate and pragmatic" solutions to issues. Just prior to coalition building, she affirmed that she would not form a coalition with the Social Democratic Party, stating that the "election results were proof that the Velkanian people desired new leadership." On 18 February, the media began to report that Sif had begun talks with the Centrist Party, who was reported to be her "ideal coalition partner." Sif had additionally reportedly been close friends with Auðdís Heiða Guðleikardattir for several years.

On 20 March, it was reported that a coalition agreement had been reached between the Liberal-Conservatives and the Centrists, and the news was confirmed by both respective party leaders later that day. The delay in the coalition agreement's finalization was due to Auðdís's decision to take a short two-week maternity leave following the birth of her first child, when coalition discussions were briefly paused. On 21 March, the two party leaders began discussing ministerial appointments. The first Sif María Vilhjálmardattir cabinet was later announced on 30 March, and they were sworn into office by Ragnhildur II later that day.

Following the cabinet's announcement, it received widespread media attention both nationally and internationally, where it was labeled the "world's youngest government." Keeping with Sif's promise to bring young people into politics and the party, the median age of government ministers was only 36, by far the youngest median age of any Velkanian cabinet in history.