After Pirate Captain Birgitta Jónsdóttir returned the mandate to form a government yesterday afternoon, Icelandic President Guðni Th. Jóhannesson sent out a statement to the press. In it, he wrote that for now, he had decided not to give any party leader the mandate to form a government.
The president explained that after Birgitta returned the mandate, he had spoken will the leaders of all other parties represented in Alþingi [the Icelandic parliament] about the grave situation that has come up more than six weeks after the parliamentary election. Already, the leaders of the country’s three largest political parties have attempted to form a government. Various options have been discussed.
The statement continues, “In light of the views expressed during my conversations with party leaders today, I have decided, for now, not to give any one of them the mandate to form a government. Instead, I encouraged them to consult among themselves and explore during informal discussions which options still remain open in forming a government, which will enjoy majority support in Alþingi, or can at least survive a vote of no confidence. In my conversations with party leaders, I also mentioned the pressing tasks awaiting solution in Alþingi, demanding good cooperation and unity.
Finally, I reminded party leaders of their responsibility and duty to reach an agreement on forming a government. I told them I anticipated news this week on that subject.”
