All opposition MPs decided to boycott Friday night’s parliamentary banquet, intended for all Iceland’s parliamentarians, in protest at the government’s handling of the country’s EU accession bid this week.
According to Nútíminn, MPs from the Social Democrats, Bright Future, the Pirate Party and the Left Green Movement declined their invites to the banquet at Hótel Saga en masse.
The banquet was intended for all Members of Parliament, their deputies, and spouses and was held this evening at Hótel Saga in Reykjavík.
Parliamentary banquets were not held by the previous left-wing coalition government, but the new right-wing government has decided to re-instate the tradition.
Invitees usually arrive at the banquets in their best clothes, dine on fine food and drink and then dance afterwards.
The parties are paid in full by the Icelandic parliament and the guest of honor is the President of Iceland, Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson.
At the time of writing, this evening’s event was only to be attended by the ruling Progressive and Independence Parties.
