A young left-leaning political leader could form a new coalition in Iceland, drawing parallels with Jacinda Ardern taking power as Prime Minister of New Zealand.
Left-Green movement leader Katrin Jakobsdottir could become Prime Minister, if she forms a coalition government, despite the incumbent party getting the most votes.
Ms Jakobsdottir's party came second at the election last Saturday, but Iceland's president has asked her to form a left-wing coalition that could see the right-wing government ousted.
The 41-year-old former journalist led a campaign focussed on inequality, and promises to boost funding for health and education.
She served as education minister for Iceland's first and, so far, only left-leaning government, which took power in 2008.
Incumbent Prime Minister Bjarni Benediktsson's right-wing coalition won the most seats, but fell short of a majority, leaving Ms Jakobsdottir the opportunity to form a coalition with the Social Democrats, the Progressive Party and the Pirate Party.
She could from a slim majority of 32 seats in the 63-seat Parliament.
Mr Benediktsson called a snap election in September, after less than a year in government, as a scandal involving his father prompted the Bright Future party to drop out of his ruling coalition, citing a breach of trust.
The previous government was defeated last year in the wake of revelations in the Panama Papers, about then-Prime Minister Sigmundur David Gunnlaugsson's use of offshore tax havens.
Iceland's President has asked Ms Jakobsdottir to form a government and she told reporters she has a "formal mandate" to do so.
Reuters/ Newshub.
