The first debate about the so-called ‘Liquor Bill’ began in Alþingi, the Icelandic parliament, this afternoon at 2 pm, according to Vísir. The bill, which was presented by nine MPs from four political parties, calls for the sale of alcoholic beverages to be allowed in grocery stores. The issue is very controversial. Currently, alcoholic beverages may only be sold at Vínbúðin, the state-run liquor stores.
Presenting the bill are Teitur Björn Einarsson, Áslaug Arna Sigurbjörnsdóttir, Vilhjálmur Árnason and Hildur Sverrisdóttir from the Independence Party, Pawel Bartoszek from the Reform Party, Jón Þór Ólafsson, Ásta Guðrún Helgadóttir and Viktor Orri Valgarðsson from the Pirate Party and Nichole Leigh Mosty from Bright Future.
Those four parties combined have 42 MPs out of Alþingi’s 63,which would more than suffice to pass the bill. There is no guarantee, though, that the bill will be supported by every member of their parties. Numerous MPs of the three parties now in opposition—the Progressive Party, the Left-Green Movement and the Social Democratic Alliance—expressed opposition to a similar bill during the last term.
