Ruling party feels the heat in Icelandic vote

The winds of change may be blowing in Iceland, where today's general election could be the tightest in years.

Opinion polls indicate the conservative Independence Party of the Prime Minister, David Oddsson, which has dominated politics since Iceland gained independence from Norway in 1944, is running neck-and-neck with the left-leaning Social Alliance. The contest is as much about personalities as it is about taxes and the depth of Iceland's involvement in Europe.

The commentator Egill Helgason said: "For the first time we have a serious challenge to the Independence Party. I think people are fed up with Mr Oddsson and that is a very decisive factor."

Mr Oddsson, who has held his post for 12 years, has been accused of arrogance and cronyism.A survey in November gave his party 44.5 per cent to the Social Alliance's 25.1 per cent, but another on Wednesday had the Independence Party plummeting to 27.3 per cent and the Social Alliance holding on 24.5 per cent.