Iceland goes to the polls Saturday in a presidential election that looks set to be a close race between three women, including former prime minister Katrin Jakobsdottir.

Iceland's president holds a largely ceremonial position in the parliamentary republic, acting as a guarantor of the constitution and national unity.

The hugely popular Gudni Johannesson, who has held the job since 2016 and was re-elected in 2020 with a whopping 92 percent of the vote, announced earlier this year that he would not seek re-election, reports AFP.

No one central issue has dominated the election campaign, where candidates traditionally run as independents without party affiliations.

In addition to the former prime minister, the main candidates in the field of 13 include a political science professor, a comedian, a businesswoman and an Arctic and energy scholar.

In the country of 380,000 people, any citizen gathering 1,500 signatures can run for office.

Jakobsdottir, who served as the head of a left-right coalition government from 2017 until April when she stepped down to run for president, has had to fend off criticism that she is too political for the job.

"I actually think that knowing the political environment doesn't make you less qualified to handle the job of president," the 48-year-old said Thursday during a televised debate, when asked if her political career would be a hindrance for her as president.

"On the contrary...I believe that I can rise above all party politics," she said.

The televised debate saw the candidates trade barbs on topics ranging from the country's NATO membership, weapons for Ukraine, the possible sale of Iceland's national power company and the use of presidential veto powers.

Bd pratidin English/Lutful Hoque