Social democrats gain and incumbents are punished in Iceland’s election

REYKJAVIK, Iceland (AP) — Voters in Iceland appear to have rejected incumbent parties in a parliamentary election. Partial results show a center-left party in first place in the North Atlantic island nation. With more than half of votes counted, the Social Democratic Alliance had won 15 seats in the 63-seat parliament, the Althingi, and secured more than 21% of votes. The conservative Independence Party had 14 seats and just under 20% of votes, and the centrist Liberal Reform Party 11 seats and 16% of votes. Counting continues Sunday. Disagreements over immigration, energy policy and the economy forced Prime Minister Bjarni Benediktsson to pull the plug on his coalition government and call Saturday’s early election.