Leadership
matters
Party platform for the 2021 parliamentary election
While the Left Greens have been leading the government, we have had the interests of the public as our main priority: to ensure prosperity and opportunity for everyone, with an emphasis on welfare. That matters, especially in the face of unexpected catastrophe.
The economy
Our economic policy ensures the welfare of the people.
- A robust dialogue between government and interests in the labour market is the basis of social progress and economic stability.
- We will continue to ensure low interest rates and a strong welfare system by maintaining the relationship between the national budget and monetary policy. The taxation system should be used to bridge the inequality gap, and recognize the value of progressive income tax. The taxation system should complement climate change goals.
- Let us create new and diverse green jobs, and prevent long-term unemployment.
- Time is precious, and essential for quality of life. We need to understand the value of a shorter work week, and to continue to ensure work-life balance.
- Let us continue supporting research, innovation and the creative industries. The next stage lies in strengthening support to the Icelandic Research Fund and the Technology Development Fund, andin making sustainable changes to increase artist salaries.
- Universities are the foundation of stronger knowledge-based fields. Universities must be funded comparatively to the other Nordic countries.
- Let us continue long overdue public sector building projects. We will finish the Iceland University of the Arts at Tollhúsið; the new National Hospital; the rehabilitation wing of the National Hospital at Grensás; and the inpatient department at the Akureyri Hospital. Care homes, college accommodation and healthcare centres throughout the country must all be augmented. We will finish the planned improvements to search and rescue bases, and improve safety and reduce carbon emissions with diverse transportation works. We will continue the development of visitor centres and other infrastructure in protected conservation areas and tourist destinations throughout the country.
- Domestic food production must be better supported, along with fixing an organic farming plan timetable, strengthening support for vegetable farming, and ensuring the nation’s food security.
- Green investment and climate-friendly innovation must be supported. We must examine legislating for obligations with climate risk in mind for retirement funds and investment agencies, so that their investments are assessed on how they affect climate change and on their overall social responsibility.
- A healthy work life is built on transparency in terms of vested interests, and on clear rules in which social dumping will not be tolerated. We want a just tax system where there is no room for tax evasion. Clear rules ensure a healthy labour market.
The environment
Iceland should take the lead in radical, realistic and just action in environmental matters, applying itself forcefully at home and on the international scene.
- Those who use the nation’s natural resources, whether land, ocean, energy, or of any other kind, must pay a fair price for their use. Parliament should ensure a natural resource clause in the Constitution along with clear provisions concerning environmental protection and natural conservation.
- Iceland must show leadership and initiative when it comes to reducing greenhouse gas emissions with a fixed timetable for switching to green energy in transportation, haulage and the fishery, agriculture and construction industries; with the goal of achieving freedom from fossil fuels by 2045.
- Iceland’s goals will be updated towards further carbon reductions: at least 60% by 2030 and carbon neutral no later by 2040.
- All climate change measures must ensure equality, so that the change to a green economy will be just and fair.
- Emphasis will be placed on diverse transportation modes, including walking and cycling paths. Moving to clean energy in public transport must be ensured and strengthened. A green connection between the capital city area and the international airport in Keflavík will be a priority. Construction of the Borgarlína public transport system must be expedited. Public transport must be strengthened throughout the country so that it becomes a practical option.
- The circular economy provides opportunities to create new, green jobs built on knowledge and innovation. Environmental goals will dovetail with social goals.
- Iceland can achieve exemplary results in environmental protection on an international scale by protecting uninhabited wilderness. Our policy aims to protect 30% of land as well as 30% of ocean before the year 2030. (30by30) Work must continue on the establishment of the Miðhálendisþjóðgarður National Park and of a national park in the Westfjords. Such national parks are also important to ensure geological and biological diversity.
- The third section of the Icelandic Master Plan for Nature Protection and Energy Utilization must be implemented. The legislation applying to the Master Plan must be re-examined with natural and historical conservation in mind. International obligations concerning biological diversity and landscape integrity must also be taken into consideration, as well as building on assessments of the applicability of valid legislation, in consultation with interested parties and experts. Since megawatts are an insufficient scale for measuring environmental effects, criteria for the extent of power station implementation must also be re-examined. Work re-examining regulations regarding wind power must also continue.
- Society’s energy needs should be assessed on the basis of green development and sustainability.
- The public should have direct influence on decisions early in the decision-making process, with good access to information and a right to participate.
- Let us connect all segments of government in order to achieve the environmental and climate change goals as described in Sjálfbært Ísland (Sustainable Iceland).
Welfare
Let us increase wellbeing, quality of life and happiness for all people.
- Let us ensure access to housing for everyone, and increase stability on the real estate market by further supporting social housing and increasing the number of apartments available in the general apartment system.
- Let us work decisively against child poverty and improve the material conditions of low-income families, by continuing the restoration of the child benefit system and ensuring that itreaches more families with children.
- Let us improve the lot of people with disabilities and create more opportunities for active participation in society, with fair enhancements to the current support system so that the lowest income groups and parents with disabilities have precedence. Let us increase part time jobs for people with reduced ability to work.
- Increase the ability of the public healthcare system to battle pandemics, attend to more long term strategies and show even better progress throughout the country. Increased investment in health infrastructure yields manyfold benefits for all of society.
- Let us continue to lower the cost to patients, by abolishing all service charges for visits to health centres and decreasing dentist fees.
- Let us implement long-term improvements to staffing, working conditions and education in the health care system, with a specific new implementation plan.
- Let us support intergenerational conversation, in which matters great and small may be discussed. Let us propose a plan to deal with loneliness among the elderly. Let us develop more diverse resources for the elderly in conjunction with municipalities, and enable people to live at home longer.
- Let us implement improvements to the social security and retirement savings systems to assist flexible retirement and enable people to work longer if they choose to.
- Let us guarantee fair housing, and the freedom of people to choose their dwelling place, by strengthening and building infrastructure and basic services throughout the country. Good basic services, strong communications, and diverse and accessible transportation connected to municipal laws are all essential for municipalities in Iceland.
- Let us maintain a strong cultural policy which guarantees access to art and culture, creates opportunities for participation in creative work, and meets the needs of diverse groups in society. Cultural work — and participation in it — increases wellbeing and is a part of societal infrastructure.
- Let us receive refugees well, both statutory refugees and international asylum seekers. More people than ever before seek refuge because of war and climate change.
- Let us continue to develop the mental healthcare system throughout the country. Let us develop real preventative mental healthcare and respond to the anxiety of young people, with improved resources and consultation with young people themselves.
- Let us include prevention and public health in all governmental policy development, thus making a healthier society. Let us work intently against health care inequality.
Equality
We need a government which is always alert to human rights and gender equality
- Let us continue in the project of eliminating sexual violence in society.
- Let us better guarantee the rights of victims of gender-based violence, sexual violence and sexual harrassment with clear legal changes and clearer implementation.
- Let us take significant steps in eliminating gender-based income inequality, by reassessing the workloads of traditionally female jobs and guaranteeing that Iceland fulfil its United Nations Sustainable Development Goals concerning full equality of the sexes by 2030.
- Let us implement the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, and establish an independent human rights institute to monitor that and other human rights projects.
- Let us take more significant steps in LGBTQ politics and take a stand against hate speech towards people belonging to sexual minorities.
Education
We guarantee equal opportunity.
- Let us fully guarantee an equal right to education. In particular, diverse choices in studies, locality, age, gender and subsistence must be taken into account. This applies to all levels of education including distance education, lifelong- and continuing education.
- The experience of the Icelandic Student Loan Fund during this past term must be assessed, in particular whether changes in the system have in fact guaranteed more equal access to education. How the Fund can better support regional equality must also be examined specifically.
- Let us finish bridging the gap between parental leave and playschool. The first step consisted of extending the period of parental leave: the next step is to fix a timetable, in cooperation with the municipalities, as to how playschools can be supported to receive children at the end of parental leave.
- Let us afford college students more flexibility for diversity and community work, with increased flexibility in length of study at college level.
- We shall move towards eliminating a special tuition fee in fine arts at the university level.
- Let us continue to increase funding to the university system and ensure that the universities can empower all regions of the country.
- Access to industrial and vocational education must be guaranteed throughout the country. Possibilities for boarding spaces must be examined in cooperation with the industrial vocational schools, and the possibilities for distance education must be developed to the greatest extent possible.
- Legislation on continuing education must be re-examined in light of contemporary challenges, most importantly with regard to technological changes and green transformation.
- Let us strengthen the municipalities, and guarantee equality regardless of place of abode.