After a long wait, it’s official: Iceland’s new prime minister will be Sigurður Ingi Jóhannsson. This was announced by MP Höskuldur Þórhallsson (Progressive Party) a short while ago.
PM Sigmundur Davíð Gunnlaugsson was forced to step down from his post Tuesday in the wake of the Panama Papers scandal, where leaked documents from a notorious Panama law firm revealed his connection to a company on Tortola. In response to the scandal, Icelanders took to the streets in massive numbers, protesting the government.
There will be early elections in the fall. Lilja Alfreðsdóttir will be one of the ministers in government, Sigurður Ingi confirmed, but it has not been decided which cabinet post will be hers. He said Sigmundur Davíð Gunnlaugsson suggested that she be appointed minister.
Bjarni Benediktsson, leader of the coalition partner, the Independence Party, said that the government wanted to continue its work on lifting capital controls, on housing issues and healthcare.
