President Leading In Polls

The results of a new poll show incumbent President Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson with a considerable lead, although author Andri Snær Magnason has gathered considerable support in a short amount of time.

The poll, conducted by Market and Media Research from April 22 to 26, asked respondents who they would vote for if presidential elections were held today. According to the results, the largest of share of responses – 52.6% – support Ólafur, despite his recent implication with the Panama Papers.

At the same time, 29.4% said they support Andri – perhaps surprisingly, as he only announced his candidacy just over 2 weeks ago.

Where other candidates are concerned, businesswoman Halla Tómasdóttir has the support of 8.8% of voters. None of the nine other candidates running for the office polled higher than 2%.

There were sharp difference in demographics between would-be voters for Ólafur and Andri. Those living in the capital area or with a university education were more likely to support Andri, while those with a lower level of education or who live in the countryside were more likely to support Ólafur.

Iceland’s presidential elections will be held on June 25. Should Ólafur win, he will begin a sixth term in office, making him one of the longest-serving heads of state of a western republic.