New settlement policy

A socialist party meeting held on July 4th adopted the following policy of the party on settlement issues:

The Socialist Party of Iceland wants to protect settlements around the country, preserve nature, and ensure that the land passes unspoiled to future generations. National parks must be managed for the public good, not for the benefit of industries or individual companies, and all administration should be approached in a community-oriented manner. Restrictions shall be placed on land ownership, as the land is not an ordinary market commodity but the foundation of the nation-state. Furthermore, fishing quotas shall be reclaimed where applicable, and settlements that once flourished but have suffered damage due to quota transfers by speculators shall be compensated. In this way, the fisheries management system shall be linked to the settlements around the country as appropriate and in accordance with the Socialist Party's policy on resource matters.

By introducing a third administrative level with the expansion of municipalities into regional government units, it will be possible to increase decentralization and maintain governance and services in smaller urban centers and rural areas (local governments). Emphasis is placed on very good transport links within each municipality so that all its residents can enjoy services within it without great cost and effort – and that the division of the country into municipalities takes transport into account. Furthermore, all infrastructure shall be strengthened so that each region becomes self-sufficient and does not need to seek important services elsewhere.

The Socialist Party aims for all residents of the country to live under the most similar conditions from the public side and to be able to access services in their local area. Thus, public services will be provided by municipalities and local governments, and services provided by the state will also be distributed throughout the country. Healthcare services will be available in municipalities, and not based on traveling doctors. The regional hospitals will be greatly strengthened, and the safety of rural residents must be ensured by developing the necessary infrastructure, such as better healthcare services, so that each region is capable of providing medical treatment, rehabilitation, and general health for its residents with hospitals, health centers, and nursing homes free of charge, as stated in the Socialist Party's healthcare policy. Furthermore, electricity, both two-phase and three-phase, backup power stations, and telecommunications must be ensured, in addition to maintaining avalanche protection barriers. Clear and known emergency response plans with evacuation plans must also be in place where there is a risk of volcanic eruptions or other natural disasters.

To preserve settlements around the country, and especially fragile settlements, all innovation shall be increased. This refers to increased innovation of all kinds, both beneficial for the basic industries; tourism, agriculture, energy-intensive industry, and fisheries, innovation in other technology, but last but not least in arts and culture. These sectors directly affect the viability of residency and opportunities in tourism. To this end, opportunities for further education shall be greatly increased in the region.

Furthermore, the profits from resources shall flow not least to the community projects proposed here to be carried out in rural areas, i.e., for innovation, further education, and the reconstruction of employment opportunities. Culture, arts, and university-level education shall be strengthened. On the one hand, older cultural heritage shall be nurtured and made visible, and also promoted so that new art and new art forms and other creative work can emerge in a fertile environment, including in schools and in innovation and art workshops.

The Socialist Party also wants municipalities to be enabled to operate technical schools, universities, and other specialized schools at secondary and university levels, thus giving municipalities the opportunity to specialize so that not necessarily the same subjects are taught everywhere. A condition is that dormitories and student apartments be operated in connection with schooling. Education and further education are key to innovation, and international and domestic experience shows that schooling in rural areas leads to students settling in the community and creating opportunities there. In addition, it is proposed that all secondary schools and universities in the country offer distance learning.

Public institutions and companies, especially large corporations, shall increasingly adopt location-independent jobs. This will give young people the opportunity to raise their children in healthy conditions in rural areas in small communities that often have great social capital and mutual aid.

The Socialist Party wants increased protection of Icelandic nature and emphasizes local initiative in this regard. The rural areas possess about 40% of Europe's untouched wilderness and these should be utilized sustainably so that the land passes unspoiled to future generations. The party emphasizes that unspoiled wilderness, the highlands, and other areas shall be defined as national parks and protected from human and animal encroachment.

Furthermore, tourism shall pay for the use of shared national infrastructure, and it shall be ensured that this industry does not spoil the appearance of nature and wilderness. To this end, special supervision of tourism is needed to maintain its natural development, to ensure that tourist encroachment does not harm nature, such as off-road driving within national parks, etc., and that tourism participates in the normal costs of infrastructure.

The policy of the Socialist Party of Iceland is …

...that Icelandic nature passes unspoiled to future generations and that national parks are managed for the public good, not for the benefit of industries or individual companies.

...that all settlements are treated equally with social governance methods and fair decentralization of power.

...that all public services are accompanied by adequate funding throughout the country and that all residents of the country live under the most similar conditions and can access all necessary public services in their local area.

...that social rights, including for subsistence, housing benefits, and other services, be harmonized throughout the country.

...that a third administrative level be introduced with the expansion of municipalities into regional government units.

...that each region possesses core infrastructure such as well-equipped and staffed medical institutions and healthcare, serving residents without access fees or other costs, and equipment such as an air ambulance, snowplows, etc.

...that safety in rural areas is ensured with necessary power plants, telecommunications equipment, avalanche defenses, and other essential services, and that electricity and backup power stations are available in all settlements where they are necessary.

...that the road network in rural areas be improved without tolls and that public transport be based on social considerations, subsidized and greatly improved for each region individually.

...that the fisheries management system be restructured so that settlements that need to rely on productive fishing grounds can thrive and the country's settlements benefit from their resources.

...that the country's sustainability be increased by, for example, fully processing products such as fish and other foodstuffs domestically and locally.

...that innovation be significantly increased throughout the country in all sectors to meet technological advancements and fluctuations in individual sectors.

...that arts and culture be strengthened in rural areas with new creative work and that older cultural heritage be nurtured.

...that within each region or quarter, it will be possible to operate technical schools and universities, in addition to other specialized schools at secondary and university levels, and that further education will be an option everywhere.

...that public institutions and large corporations increasingly adopt remote work or location-independent jobs.

...that supervision of tourism be increased and natural gems and wilderness be protected as much as possible, and to ensure that tourism is accompanied by the necessary funding for infrastructure and maintenance.

...that unspoiled wilderness, the highlands, and other areas be defined as national parks and protected from human and animal encroachment.

...that the utilization of farm lands, as stated in the Socialist Party's resource policy, be subject to conditions such as residency requirements and for a specific period at a time, so that no individual or company can accumulate lands.