The newly formed Left Green led Grand Coalition enjoys historic approval ratings, a new Gallup poll confirms. The poll, which was taken on November 30-December 28 shows that 74% of voters say they support the government. No other government has enjoyed higher approval ratings since the 2008 financial crash. Only one government since 1995 has enjoyed more support during its first months in power.
Historic approval ratings
The Gallup poll is in line with other polls which have been taken since Katrín Jakobsdóttir, the leader of the Left Green Movement, formed a governing majority with two other largest parties in parliament, the conservative Independence Party and the centrist Progress Party.
Read more: Report: New Left-Green led Grand Coalition enjoys 78% approval rating
Historically most governments have enjoyed a honeymoon period of high approval ratings after being formed. Since the 2008 financial crash these honeymoon periods have become shorter, with lower approval ratings. We have yet to see if the approval ratings of the Left Green led coalition will enjoy a longer honeymoon period than other post-crash governments, but it has already broken the record on popular support.
Read more: Historically high approval rating for Left Green led coalition: Highest since 2008 crash
In fact there only one government since 1995 has enjoyed higher approval ratings during its first months in office. The last pre-crash government, a coalition government of the conservative Independence Party and Social Democratic Alliance enjoyed a 76-83% approval ratings in the first few months. None of the three post-crash governments registered with an approval rating of more than 65% during their first few months.
Read more: Half of voters want leader of Left Greens as next Prime Minister
One of the reasons for the high approval ratings is no doubt the fact that Katrín Jakobsdóttir, the prime minister, is one of the most popular and most trusted politicians in Iceland.
Majority maintains solid support
Other findings in the poll show that the support of the different parties has changed very little since the October 28 election. The Independence Party enjoys the support of 25.1% of voters, virtually unchanged since the election, when the party received 25.3% of the vote.
The second largest party, the Left Greens enjoy a 17.3% support, which is only a few fractions higher than the support in the election when the party received 16.9% of the vote. The Progress Party makes a small, but significant gain registering 11.9% support, compared to 10.9% in the elections.
Shift from right to left among opposition
Greater shifts can be observed in the support of the opposition parties where the left wing opposition makes significant gains at the expense of the populist bloc.
The Social Democratic Alliance polls as the largest of the opposition parties, and the third most popular party with 15.5% of the vote, up from 12.1% in the elections. The anti-establishment Pirate Party also registers an uptick in support to 10.1% up from 9.2% in the elections. The liberal right Restoration enjoys 6.5%, virtually unchanged since the 6.7% support in the elections. The only parties to see a significant drop in support are the two populist parties slips slightly: The Center Party is now supported by only 5.4%, down from 10.9%, while the People's Party slips to 5.4% from 6.9%.
The newly formed Left Green led Grand Coalition enjoys historic approval ratings, a new Gallup poll confirms. The poll, which was taken on November 30-December 28 shows that 74% of voters say they support the government. No other government has enjoyed higher approval ratings since the 2008 financial crash. Only one government since 1995 has enjoyed more support during its first months in power.
Historic approval ratings
The Gallup poll is in line with other polls which have been taken since Katrín Jakobsdóttir, the leader of the Left Green Movement, formed a governing majority with two other largest parties in parliament, the conservative Independence Party and the centrist Progress Party.
Read more: Report: New Left-Green led Grand Coalition enjoys 78% approval rating
Historically most governments have enjoyed a honeymoon period of high approval ratings after being formed. Since the 2008 financial crash these honeymoon periods have become shorter, with lower approval ratings. We have yet to see if the approval ratings of the Left Green led coalition will enjoy a longer honeymoon period than other post-crash governments, but it has already broken the record on popular support.
Read more: Historically high approval rating for Left Green led coalition: Highest since 2008 crash
In fact there only one government since 1995 has enjoyed higher approval ratings during its first months in office. The last pre-crash government, a coalition government of the conservative Independence Party and Social Democratic Alliance enjoyed a 76-83% approval ratings in the first few months. None of the three post-crash governments registered with an approval rating of more than 65% during their first few months.
Read more: Half of voters want leader of Left Greens as next Prime Minister
One of the reasons for the high approval ratings is no doubt the fact that Katrín Jakobsdóttir, the prime minister, is one of the most popular and most trusted politicians in Iceland.
Majority maintains solid support
Other findings in the poll show that the support of the different parties has changed very little since the October 28 election. The Independence Party enjoys the support of 25.1% of voters, virtually unchanged since the election, when the party received 25.3% of the vote.
The second largest party, the Left Greens enjoy a 17.3% support, which is only a few fractions higher than the support in the election when the party received 16.9% of the vote. The Progress Party makes a small, but significant gain registering 11.9% support, compared to 10.9% in the elections.
Shift from right to left among opposition
Greater shifts can be observed in the support of the opposition parties where the left wing opposition makes significant gains at the expense of the populist bloc.
The Social Democratic Alliance polls as the largest of the opposition parties, and the third most popular party with 15.5% of the vote, up from 12.1% in the elections. The anti-establishment Pirate Party also registers an uptick in support to 10.1% up from 9.2% in the elections. The liberal right Restoration enjoys 6.5%, virtually unchanged since the 6.7% support in the elections. The only parties to see a significant drop in support are the two populist parties slips slightly: The Center Party is now supported by only 5.4%, down from 10.9%, while the People's Party slips to 5.4% from 6.9%.
