Former PM Sigmundur Davíð Gunnlaugsson has taken a leave of absence from parliament for an unspecified length of time, RÚV reports. He announced this at a Progressive Party group meeting yesterday afternoon. This happened in the wake of the Panama Papers scandal, in which a leak of documents from a Panama law firm revealed Sigmundur’s connection to an offshore company, forcing him to resign.
Three MPs from the Progressive Party have criticized Sigmundur since he resigned as prime minister. MP Höskuldur Þórhallsson told Fréttablaðið the former prime minister should have resigned as a member of parliament.
MP Frosti Sigurjónsson told Rás 2 radio station that a breach of trust occurred when Sigmundur didn’t tell the truth in an interview with a Swedish journalist, broadcast April 3, where his connection to a company on Tortola was revealed. “The prime minister didn’t tell the truth and that’s really bad, because people doubt everything that follows.”
MP Karl Garðarsson told RÚV the Progressive Party’s annual convention should be held early so the leadership of the party could renew its mandate before elections in the fall. He claims there are many within the party who share his view.
