Public expectations for Reykjavík’s new governing coalition are substantially higher than those recorded for the administration it replaced, according to a new Maskína survey.
The new Reykjavík city coalition led by Hildur Björnsdóttir has begun its term with a level of public optimism that the previous administration never achieved.
What’s the Story?
Original source: Vísir
- Nearly half of respondents reported high expectations for Reykjavík’s new coalition.
- Satisfaction with the new administration currently exceeds dissatisfaction.
- Supporters appear to favour the centrist coalition ultimately formed after the election.
Expectations Running High
According to a Maskína poll conducted earlier this month, 46.1% of Reykjavík residents have either high or very high expectations of the new majority.
By comparison, only around a quarter expressed similarly strong expectations for the coalition led by Heiða Björg Hilmisdóttir after it took office in 2025.
The survey also found that the new administration currently enjoys more support than opposition. A combined 41.4% of respondents said they were satisfied with the coalition formed by the Independence Party, Progressive Party and Reform Party, while 32.9% said they were dissatisfied.
Around a quarter described themselves as neither satisfied nor dissatisfied.
Coalition Choice
The findings suggest many voters approve of the coalition arrangement that emerged following the municipal election.
Before the new majority was formed, considerable attention focused on which parties might ultimately govern the capital. One possibility frequently discussed was a coalition between the Independence Party and the Centre Party.
However, the survey indicates that option would have faced significant public resistance. Nearly six in ten respondents, 58.6%, said they would have been dissatisfied with such a coalition, while 29% said they would have viewed it favourably.
Hildur herself also receives relatively positive marks. Some 27.1% of respondents said they have very high expectations of her performance as mayor, while a further 20.9% reported somewhat high expectations. By contrast, 28.5% said they have low or very low expectations.
The survey was conducted between 2 and 11 June among 781 respondents. Results were weighted according to gender, age and education using data from Statistics Iceland.
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