Fighting continues in the Progressive Party. Last weekend, the chairman of the party, former PM Sigmundur Davíð Gunnlaugsson, was voted out and replaced by PM Sigurður Ingi Jóhannsson.
Today, Fréttablaðið quotes the head of the Progressive Party Association in Reykjavík, Sveinn Hjörtur Guðfinnsson, as saying that the election was rigged. He claims a number of upset party members left the party today and that unifying the party will prove difficult.
Guðfinna Jóhanna Guðmundsdóttir, who represents the Progressive Party on the Reykjavík City council, asserted, “The party ownership and capital forces seized power away from the grass roots.
Sveinn stated, “Registered representatives of parliament from Reykjavík didn’t have the right to vote after all.
Guðfinna agrees that only part of party members voted at the convention. “We know that not everyone had the right to vote. I argue that Sigmundur would have won in a general election.” She claimed that Sigmundur Davíð has long had enemies inside the party.
Sveinn lamented, “It’s sad if the register of voters was tampered with.”
Sigmundur Davíð was unwilling to give Fréttablaðið an interview.
PM Sigurður Ingi was baffled by the accusations and said the election process had been very well organized and approved by the convention. He stated that no accusations of a rigged election had been sent to the party’s office.
