Iceland’s main news stories today include a shift in political opinion polls, concerns about disability services and healthcare, debate over university cooperation, and public health and technology issues. The following roundup focuses on developments reported on Friday, October 23, 2026.
1. Social Democratic Alliance Extends Its Lead in Iceland Opinion Poll
Iceland’s governing Social Democratic Alliance has widened its lead over the opposition Independence Party, according to a new opinion poll published on Friday.
The Maskína survey, reported by Iceland’s public broadcaster RÚV, found that 28.6 per cent of respondents would vote for the Social Democratic Alliance if an election were held now. This represented an increase of slightly more than one percentage point compared with the previous poll.
The Independence Party recorded 21.9 per cent support, down from 25 per cent in the previous survey. The decline widened the gap between Iceland’s two largest political parties.
The Centre Party received 13.4 per cent, while the Reform Party recorded 11.4 per cent. The Progressive Party stood at 7.9 per cent.
Three smaller parties — the People’s Party, the Left-Green Movement and the Socialist Party — remained below the five per cent threshold generally required to qualify for compensatory parliamentary seats, although constituency victories could still secure representation.
The poll was based on responses from 1,791 people who expressed a party preference. The survey was conducted between September 18 and September 23, and again between October 2 and October 7.
The findings suggest that the Social Democratic Alliance is maintaining its position as Iceland’s most popular party, while the Independence Party faces a challenge in reversing its recent decline. However, opinion polls represent a snapshot of public sentiment rather than a prediction of an election result.
2. Auditor General Criticises Breakdown of Akureyri–Bifröst University Merger Talks
Iceland’s National Audit Office has criticised the University of Akureyri’s decision to end merger discussions with Bifröst University, arguing that the reasons given were insufficient to justify abandoning the process.
The talks ended in October 2025 after the University of Akureyri cited differences in the institutions’ legal structures and uncertainty surrounding a proposed research fund.
However, the National Audit Office concluded that these issues did not prevent further negotiations. It also criticised the university council for ending the discussions unilaterally without consulting the Ministry of Culture, Innovation and Higher Education.
The audit raised wider questions about the organisation of Iceland’s public institutions. It found that the country had 143 government institutions at the end of 2025, down from 155 in 2020. More than a quarter had 20 or fewer full-time-equivalent positions.
The report encouraged the government to consider whether smaller institutions could be strengthened through organisational changes and closer cooperation.
The findings could renew debate about how Iceland manages its universities and public services, particularly as institutions face pressure to use public funding efficiently while maintaining educational quality and research capacity.
3. Iceland Drops Proposed Change to Employment Restrictions in Disability Services
Iceland’s Minister of Social Affairs and Housing, Ragnar Þór Ingólfsson, has decided to withdraw a proposed change to employment rules governing services for people with disabilities.
The proposal would have replaced an automatic employment ban for people convicted of homicide or serious assault with an individual assessment of their suitability for certain roles. The provision was intended to address differences between regulations governing disability services and those applying to other welfare sectors.
However, disability organisations raised concerns that the proposed change had not been adequately assessed for its potential impact on service users’ safety.
The Icelandic Autism Association and the Icelandic Disability Alliance warned that people receiving disability support can be particularly vulnerable to violence and may face difficulties reporting abuse or seeking help.
Following the objections, the minister said the proposed provision would be removed before the bill was presented to Alþingi, Iceland’s parliament.
The debate highlights the challenge of balancing fair employment opportunities and consistent legal standards with the need to protect vulnerable people who depend on public and private support services.
The decision means the proposed relaxation will not proceed as originally drafted, although wider questions about employment rules and safeguards in disability services remain relevant.
4. Iceland Seeks Stronger Oversight of Medication in Nursing Homes
Iceland’s Health Minister, Alma Möller, has called for stronger oversight of medication prescribed to older people, including regular reviews of prescriptions in nursing homes.
The issue was raised in parliament following figures from the Directorate of Health showing that 37 per cent of nursing-home residents received antipsychotic medication in 2025.
The minister cautioned that the figure alone does not establish whether the prescriptions were appropriate. A proper assessment would require information about why each medicine was prescribed, the dosage, the length of treatment and the patient’s individual circumstances.
Quetiapine was identified as the most commonly used antipsychotic among nursing-home residents. Approximately 11,400 people received the medication in 2025, nearly twice the number recorded a decade earlier. Use was highest among people aged 80 and above.
Quetiapine is approved for certain psychiatric conditions, including schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, but it is also sometimes prescribed in low doses for sleep problems because of its sedating effects.
Specialists have warned that potential side effects, including dizziness, sedation and low blood pressure, can increase the risk of falls among older people.
The health minister wants more systematic medication reviews and improved records explaining what medicines residents receive and why.
The issue is significant for Iceland’s ageing population, as healthcare providers seek to ensure that medicines are used appropriately while minimising avoidable risks for elderly residents.
5. Report Calls for Major Improvements in ME and Long COVID Care
A national working group has recommended a major overhaul of Iceland’s healthcare and social support services for people living with myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME), long COVID, postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS) and related conditions.
The 206-page report, released on October 22, contains 42 recommendations covering healthcare, social services, university research, insurance and public funding.
The group argues that many people affected by these conditions experience substantial and persistent illness, while existing healthcare and support arrangements do not adequately reflect the severity of their difficulties.
Among the recommendations are strengthening Akureyri Clinic, establishing formal cooperation with Landspítali, Iceland’s national university hospital, and developing specialised rehabilitation services.
The report also proposes expanding home-based healthcare, supporting research, improving professional training and reviewing social insurance and financial assistance arrangements.
The working group emphasised that these conditions should be approached through appropriate medical assessment and an understanding of patients’ physical limitations, rather than being dismissed as exclusively psychological or social problems.
The recommendations have not yet become government policy. Implementing them would require decisions involving several ministries and public institutions.
For patients and families, the report represents a significant contribution to the discussion about access to diagnosis, treatment, rehabilitation and financial support in Iceland.
6. Cybersecurity Warning Highlights Critical PHP Vulnerabilities
Cybersecurity has remained an important concern in Iceland following warnings about critical vulnerabilities in PHP, a programming language widely used to build websites and online services.
CERT-IS, Iceland’s cybersecurity response team, reported on October 22 that fixes were available for two critical PHP vulnerabilities that could potentially allow attackers to execute code on exposed servers without authentication.
The warning is particularly relevant to businesses, publishers and organisations operating websites on vulnerable server configurations. A successful attack could potentially enable unauthorised access or interfere with website operations, depending on the affected system and its configuration.
Administrators were urged to apply the appropriate security updates and check whether their systems were exposed. The warning also reinforced the importance of maintaining software, monitoring server activity and reviewing website security procedures.
The issue is relevant to Iceland’s growing digital economy, where organisations rely on online platforms to provide services, communicate with customers and manage information.
Website owners should verify their installed PHP versions, follow official security advisories and ensure that updates are tested and applied promptly.
7. Iceland’s Public Services and Government Structure Face Renewed Scrutiny
The National Audit Office’s review of public institutions has also drawn attention to the broader challenge of maintaining effective public administration in a country with a relatively small population.
The report’s finding that more than a quarter of government institutions had 20 or fewer full-time-equivalent positions raises questions about administrative capacity, specialist expertise and the cost of maintaining small organisations.
The audit office’s recommendation that the government consider ways to strengthen these institutions reflects an ongoing policy challenge: ensuring that public services remain accessible across Iceland while avoiding unnecessary duplication and administrative inefficiency.
The abandoned university merger discussions provide a practical example of how institutional reform can become complicated when legal arrangements, funding mechanisms and the responsibilities of different authorities do not align.
Any future restructuring would need to consider the needs of students, staff, regional communities and the wider public, particularly in areas outside the capital region.
The debate is especially relevant to North Iceland, where the University of Akureyri plays an important role in higher education, regional development and professional training.
Key Takeaways from Iceland Today
The major stories on October 23, 2026, point to several important developments across Iceland.
- Politics: The Social Democratic Alliance has increased its lead in the latest opinion poll, while the Independence Party has lost support.
- Higher education: The National Audit Office has challenged the reasons for ending merger talks between the University of Akureyri and Bifröst University.
- Disability services: The government has withdrawn a proposed change to employment restrictions following safety concerns raised by disability organisations.
- Healthcare: Officials are calling for closer oversight of medication in nursing homes, while a national report proposes substantial improvements to care for people with ME and long COVID.
- Cybersecurity: Critical PHP vulnerabilities have prompted urgent warnings for website operators to install available fixes.
- Public administration: Questions remain about how Iceland can strengthen smaller government institutions and make effective use of public resources.
This roundup is based on news reports available on October 23, 2026. Some developments, particularly the healthcare recommendations and proposed institutional reforms, remain under consideration rather than representing adopted government policy.
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