Leader of the Progressive Party (Framsóknarflokkurinn) Jón Sigurdsson discussed the party’s future with his fellow party members yesterday. The party could remain in government, join the opposition or cooperate with the left-wing parties.
According to Fréttabladid, the members of the Progressive Party have very different opinions on which course to take. The party suffered great losses in Saturday’s elections; it lost five MPs, and its main goal is to regain support.
Höskuldur Thór Thórhallsson, who was elected as a new MP for the Progressive Party, said yesterday he would like the party to remain in government and that it is not important whether the government would be on the left or the right wing.
Minister of Agriculture and vice-chairman for the Progressive Party Gudni Ágústsson, indicated yesterday that he would not want to cooperate with the left-wing parties, as MP for the Left Greens (Vinstri graenir) Ögmundur Jónasson had suggested.
If the Progressive Party decides to remain in coalition government with the Independence Party it may have to give up some ministries, the Ministry for the Environment and the Ministry for Industry and Commerce for example.
Neither Minister for the Environment Jónína Bjartmarz nor Minister for Industry and Commerce Jón Sigurdsson, who is also the leader of the Progressive Party, received a seat in Althingi, Iceland’s parliament, after the elections.
Sigurdsson did not have a seat in parliament before the elections either, which is not a prerequisite for becoming a minister, though it is highly unusual that ministers are not chosen from among the members of Althingi.
Click here to read more about the outcome of the elections.
