The Socialist Party's list in the Northeast Constituency

“It is time for a radical left-wing policy that has a clear vision for the future and rejects constant compromises to the right. The compromises have yielded nothing but regression, ever-increasing inequality, and the accumulation of wealth by a small portion of the nation. Tax increases on beneficiaries and general wage earners, an oppressive housing and rental market, and crushing capital costs and financial system place heavy burdens on the nation, while on the other hand siphoning enormous profits to capital owners and large corporations,” says Haraldur Ingi Haraldsson, who holds the top spot on the Socialist Party of Iceland's (Sósíalistaflokkur Íslands) list in the Northeast Constituency.

The list is compiled by a randomly selected group of party members who have worked hard to reflect as clearly as possible the will of the party's grassroots, and we believe this will yield much better results than traditional methods of compiling a list, which often give a distorted picture.

Haraldur Ingi warns that harsher measures are ahead. “In the pipeline of governments led by the Independence Party (Sjálfstæðisflokkur) and the parties it calls to its side are grand plans for an even harsher right-wing policy. Laws have been enacted that permit large-scale private operation of the road network with road tolls. A starved healthcare system is like a ripe fruit ready to fall into the basket of privatization, and the banks are being prepared for another privatization, and speculators are licking their chops in anticipation of all the dividends waiting around the corner.”

“The Socialist Party is the only political party that takes a clear stance against this economic system,” says Haraldur Ingi. “For the country and the Northeast Constituency, it is crucial that social solutions are sought for the problems at hand and that development begins on the basis of public interest, not special interests.”

“I want changes in society,” says Margrét Pétursdóttir, a worker who holds the second spot on the list. “Changes that I thought we would get after the Kitchenware Revolution (Búsáhaldabyltingin) but did not. A new constitution can be cited as an example. I believe in this candidacy of the Socialist Party, which has been brewing for several years, and I believe it is beneficial for all of us to lead this society from neoliberalism to socialism. We must uplift those societal groups that have suffered from neoliberalism, such as all children, disabled people, and the elderly. No middle ground will suffice in the fight against hateful extreme capitalism.”

Guðrún Þórsdóttir, who is in third place on the list, has a particular cause that she is passionately interested in improving. “These are the circumstances of young people who are in some way marginalized in society and face various burdensome problems such as poverty, addiction, or mental health issues,” says Guðrún. “The conditions and opportunities for such young people must be greatly improved so they can get help for their ailments and have the chance to actively participate in society and build themselves up.”

Alongside the list, the Socialists have published an offer to voters in the Northeast Constituency, see here:BUILD UP THE COMMUNITIES, INFRASTRUCTURE, HOUSING AND TRANSPORTATION

In first place is Haraldur Ingi Haraldsson, who works as a project manager for Akureyri Municipality. Haraldur Ingi has extensive experience in the business world, having worked as a teacher, tour guide, in mussel farming, in museum work, and more. Haraldur Ingi has pursued arts and continuous self-study in left-wing politics, history, and economics. The conclusion of this study for him is that social and economic injustice is rapidly increasing, and the reason for this is a societal system that primarily emphasizes quick profits with minimal cost and minimal responsibility, and largely distributes the benefits to owners of large corporations, shareholders, managers, and capital owners. Therefore, Haraldur Ingi supports socialism, which rejects the current structure of financial capitalism and instead presents a positive and constructive vision for the future with solutions for the many, not the few. Haraldur Ingi has actively participated in the community work of the Socialist Party and has served on the Membership Board (Félagastjórn) and now sits on the Executive Board (Framkvæmdastjórn) of the Party.

In second place is Margrét Pétursdóttir, an unschooled worker who has worked with children and the elderly and age groups in between. Margrét has done various volunteer work and has been with people during the worst and best times of their lives, identifying with most of them. She is a radical environmental activist and a member of nature conservation organizations, and has worked with them in activism. Margrét is a socialist feminist and drew attention at a Citizens' Meeting (Borgarafundur) in Háskólabíó and when she dressed the statue of Jón Sigurðsson in pink traditional Icelandic attire to highlight the Women's Emergency Committee (Neyðarstjórn kvenna) that operated during the collapse. Margrét advocates humanism and wants a human rights institution to be established as soon as possible by the state.

In third place is Guðrún Þórsdóttir, educated in fine arts and cultural management. She has worked in culture and arts since she was a ticket taker at the Basement Theater (Kjallaraleikhúsið) at 13 and 14 years old. Diverse cultural life and arts are close to her heart. Guðrún knows the city streets and was one of the boisterous youths in downtown Reykjavík in the 1970s and knows the street scene well. In recent years, she has worked with young people in Akureyri facing a wide range of problems, formalizing cooperation between 13 institutions that all have contact with marginalized youth, youth with addiction problems, youth with mental health challenges, and youth who have grown up in poverty. Guðrún is keen to nurture and prepare our people, who are indeed the future.

In fourth place is Þorsteinn Bergsson, an animal inspector and self-employed regional tour guide and translator. Þorsteinn now lives with his family in Egilsstaðir but was previously a sheep farmer in Hjaltastaðaþinghá for many years. Þorsteinn is a left-winger at heart, and the ownership of land and companies considered essential infrastructure is close to his heart. He believes it is urgent to change competition laws and other regulations that hinder public operations as soon as possible. The state and municipalities need to intervene robustly in housing matters and ensure people access to rental housing at decent terms. The financial system must be made aware that it should support families and businesses in the country, not drain their vitality.

In fifth place is Unnur María Máney Bergsveinsdóttir, a circus artist and historian, residing in Ólafsfjörður. She has worked both independently and as an employee in the Icelandic labor market since the mid-1990s. Unnur María's political priorities are the equalization of opportunities for all citizens regarding access to education, culture, healthcare, and transportation routes. She has a great interest in peace and disarmament issues and served for a long time on the central board of the Association of War Resisters (Samtök hernaðarandstæðinga).

In sixth place is Auður Traustadóttira health masseuse and nursing assistant. She has been a member of the Socialist Party since its inception and has worked actively there, including in policy groups. Auður has three children and eight grandchildren. Her main political interests are healthcare and improving the status of disabled people and the elderly.

In seventh place is Rúnar Freyr Júlíusson, a postal worker and coach studying media studies at the University of Akureyri. Rúnar has worked with the Socialist Party since he joined the party this spring and now sits on the Membership Board. Rúnar has roots in the Eastfjords and Eyjafjörður but grew up largely in Hrísey. He has worked both in shops and as a tradesman. Since Rúnar was in elementary school, he has organized protests and collections for causes he cares about. Rúnar has always been a left-winger to the core and became a true socialist as he matured. As a young queer individual, Rúnar is particularly concerned with issues affecting queer people and youth, but his main passion is for workplace democracy and the status of fragile communities.

List of the Socialist Party of Iceland in the Northeast Constituency:

Haraldur Ingi Haraldsson, project manager
Margrét Pétursdóttir, worker
Guðrún Þórsdóttir, cultural manager and consultant
Þorsteinn Bergsson, animal inspector and former farmer
Unnur María Máney Bergsveinsdóttir, circus artist and historian
Auður Traustadóttir, nursing assistant
Rúnar Freyr Júlíusson, student
Karolina Sigurðardóttir, worker
Bergrún Andradóttir, student
Brynja Siguróladóttir, disabled person
Stefán L. Rögnvaldsson, farmer and realist poet
Kolbeinn Agnarsson, sailor
Halldóra Hafdísardóttir, artist
Arinbjörn Árnason, former farmer and driver
Ari Sigurjónsson, sailor
Árni Daníel Júlíusson, historian
Michal Polacek, lawyer
Katrín María Ipaz, server
Skúli Skúlason, instructor
Jóhann Axelsson, professor emeritus