Opposition Takes Hit, Ruling Coalition Gains Ground In New Poll

The results of a new Gallup poll show the Independence Party surpassing the Pirates for the first time in over a year. Other opposition parties did not fare much better.

RÚV reports that the Pirate Party dropped in support by about 9% since last month, and are now at 26.6%. These latest results have broken the Pirates’ year-long streak of being at the top of the polls, with the Independence Party now surpassing them, standing now at 27% – up only slightly from last month. This is the first time the Independence Party has surpassed the Pirates in a Gallup poll since April 2015.

At the same time, the Progressive Party saw a significant upswing of support, from about 7% in the previous poll to 10.5% today. Support for the ruling coalition as a whole rose as well, from 34% to 37.3%.

The Pirates were not the only opposition party to lose support, either. The Social Democrats took a small dip to 8.3%; the Left-Greens also lost some support, standing now at 18.4%; and Bright Future saw little change from the previous poll, holding steady at about 5%.

The poll was conducted April 14 to 28, during a time when coverage of the Panama Papers leak was extensive, and implicated members of the ruling coalition, including former Prime Minister and Progressive chairperson Sigmundur Davíð Gunnlaugsson.