During the city council elections last spring, the Progressive Party campaigned on a racist platform that offended many people in the capital and the effect is still reverberating. Þorsteinn Magnússon, a former Alternate MP, for the Progressive Party has resigned from the party as reported by The Icelandic National Broadcasting Service.
In a public statement, Þorsteinn writes that the Progressive Party campaigned in such a manner, whether consciously or unconsciously, that it created a discourse that was harmful to another religious group (Islam) and such actions are not befitting of a civilized political party. Furthermore, the discourse created by the party was pointless, hurtful towards Muslims and could only foster hate and intolerance.
Þorsteinn went even further by stating that Sigmundur Davíð Gunnlaugsson’s, chairman of the Progressive Party and Prime Minister, words indicated a complete denial of the facts and Sigmundur’s statements seem to condone the racist discourse.
During the city council elections last spring, the Progressive Party campaigned on a racist platform that offended many people in the capital and the effect is still reverberating. Þorsteinn Magnússon, a former Alternate MP, for the Progressive Party has resigned from the party as reported by The Icelandic National Broadcasting Service.
In a public statement, Þorsteinn writes that the Progressive Party campaigned in such a manner, whether consciously or unconsciously, that it created a discourse that was harmful to another religious group (Islam) and such actions are not befitting of a civilized political party. Furthermore, the discourse created by the party was pointless, hurtful towards Muslims and could only foster hate and intolerance.
Þorsteinn went even further by stating that Sigmundur Davíð Gunnlaugsson’s, chairman of the Progressive Party and Prime Minister, words indicated a complete denial of the facts and Sigmundur’s statements seem to condone the racist discourse.
