Leaders of all three opposition parties in Iceland’s Althingi parliament have confirmed that they have discussed making a joint motion of no confidence in light of current circumstances. However, nothing has been decided yet.
“The government deserves nothing else than such a motion,” Steingrímur J. Sigfússon, leader of the largest opposition party, the Left-Greens, told Fréttabladid.
Steingrímur J. Sigfússon speaks in parliament. Copyright: Páll Kjartansson.
Sigfússon said that the sensitive circumstances surrounding the loan from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) have changed now that the loan has been accepted, so there is nothing preventing the opposition parties from taking such measures anymore.
Two ministers of the Social Democrats, Minister of Commerce Björgvin G. Sigurdsson and Minister of the Environment Thórunn Sveinbjarnardóttir, told RÚV last night that they support the idea of general elections next spring.
They believe it is necessary to reestablish the government’s authority. Prime Minister Geir G. Haarde of the Independence Party disagrees, “Everyone has to stand on their feet. Otherwise they would be giving up,” he said in an interview on news magazine Kastljós.
Chairman of the Social Democrats, Foreign Minister Ingibjörg Sólrún Gísladóttir, has not expressed her opinion on whether early elections are necessary. Under usual circumstances the next general elections would be held in 2011.
