PERSPECTIVE Parliamentary Elections in Iceland How the Elections Could Affect Future EU Membership INGÓLFUR V. GÍSLASON April 2013  After the crash of the Icelandic economy in October 2008 its restoration has in many ways been swifter than expected. The incumbent government – a coalition of the Alliance Party(social democrats) and the Left-Green Movement – managed to avoid heavy cuts in public welfare and to implement policies that have led to falling unem­ployment rates and eventually to positive economic growth over the past two years.  Despite the economic recovery, the Icelandic government is currently struggling in the polls and the country is facing a possible shift in its government majority.  The future of Iceland’s EU membership negotiations, formally initiated by the in­cumbent government, remains uncertain if the big opposition parties with their EU-sceptic approach get into power after the election.