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| Iceland has new coalition government led by Conservative Prime Minister Bjarni Benediktsson | Iceland has new coalition government led by Conservative Prime Minister Bjarni Benediktsson |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Iceland has a new government after the centre-right Independence, Reform and Bright Future parties agreed to form a coalition, which could pave the way for the country to join the European Union. | Iceland has a new government after the centre-right Independence, Reform and Bright Future parties agreed to form a coalition, which could pave the way for the country to join the European Union. |
| As part of the new settlement Iceland's parliament will be given a vote on whether to hold a referendum on joining the 28-member bloc. | As part of the new settlement Iceland's parliament will be given a vote on whether to hold a referendum on joining the 28-member bloc. |
| The coalition will hold 32 of the 63 seats in parliament - just enough to give it a majority. | The coalition will hold 32 of the 63 seats in parliament - just enough to give it a majority. |
| The Independence Party - which opposes EU membership - will have 21 seats, making it the largest party in the coalition. | The Independence Party - which opposes EU membership - will have 21 seats, making it the largest party in the coalition. |
| The other two parties favour joining the EU. | The other two parties favour joining the EU. |
| The deal brings to an end three months of stalemate since October's general election. | The deal brings to an end three months of stalemate since October's general election. |
| The three parties failed in their attempt to form a coalition in November and the Left Greens and the Pirate Party also made unsuccessful attempts to form a government. | The three parties failed in their attempt to form a coalition in November and the Left Greens and the Pirate Party also made unsuccessful attempts to form a government. |
| Iceland applied to join the EU in 2009 after parliament voted to enter talks. | |
| But officials walked away from the negotiations in 2013 after an election saw Eurosceptic parties take power. |