Negotiations on the formation of a center-right coalition government are going well, the chairmen of the three parties engaged in the negotiations tell the local radio station Bylgjan. If successful, the negotiations would bring to an end a government crisis brought on by the inability of the political parties in parliament to find a working majority. Two months have passed since the parliamentary elections on November 29.
Read more: Informal negotiations for a new coalition government moved to the hallways of Parliament
Óttarr Proppé, the chairman of the centrist Bright future told Bylgjan that he, and Bjarni Benediktsson, the chairman of the conservative Independence party and Benedikt Jóhannesson the chairman of the center-right Restoration, had been in informal talks on the formation of a coalition government during Christmas. The three parties have found more common ground, Óttarr said, adding that the three party chairmen were well aware of their responsibility to make compromises to form a workable government. Formal talks have not begun, and no formal meetings are scheduled yet.
Óttarr told Bylgjan that he expected the legislative agenda of the coalition, which would have a very narrow majority of just one vote in parliament, would enjoy the support of members of other parties. Previous negotiations between the three parties had broken down due to disagreement over changes to fishing and agricultural policy.
Read more:The stalemate in Icelandic politics: What' going on and why is there no coalition in sight?
After the elections the president of Iceland, Guðni Th. Jóhannesson, gave Bjarni Benediktsson a mandate to form a coalition government. Bjarni attempted to reach an agreement with Restoration and Bright future on the formation of a new center-right government. Bjarni also failed to convince Katrín Jakobsdóttir, the chairwoman of the leftist Green movement to form an across-the-aisle government.
After Bjarni returned the mandate it passed to Katrín, and then to Birgitta Jónsdóttir, the leader of the anti-establishment Pirate party. Neither proved successful in forming a broad center-left government. These negotiations broke down due to unwillingness of Restoration to accept new taxes to finance investments in health care and education.
Read more: Analysis: No coalition in sight after Left-greens give up on forming a center-left government
Faced with this stalemate the president told party leaders that he would not give anyone the mandate to form a government, instead urging them to engage in informal negotiations. These now seem to have resulted in greater common ground between the center-right parties.
Negotiations on the formation of a center-right coalition government are going well, the chairmen of the three parties engaged in the negotiations tell the local radio station Bylgjan. If successful, the negotiations would bring to an end a government crisis brought on by the inability of the political parties in parliament to find a working majority. Two months have passed since the parliamentary elections on November 29.
Read more: Informal negotiations for a new coalition government moved to the hallways of Parliament
Óttarr Proppé, the chairman of the centrist Bright future told Bylgjan that he, and Bjarni Benediktsson, the chairman of the conservative Independence party and Benedikt Jóhannesson the chairman of the center-right Restoration, had been in informal talks on the formation of a coalition government during Christmas. The three parties have found more common ground, Óttarr said, adding that the three party chairmen were well aware of their responsibility to make compromises to form a workable government. Formal talks have not begun, and no formal meetings are scheduled yet.
Óttarr told Bylgjan that he expected the legislative agenda of the coalition, which would have a very narrow majority of just one vote in parliament, would enjoy the support of members of other parties. Previous negotiations between the three parties had broken down due to disagreement over changes to fishing and agricultural policy.
Read more:The stalemate in Icelandic politics: What' going on and why is there no coalition in sight?
After the elections the president of Iceland, Guðni Th. Jóhannesson, gave Bjarni Benediktsson a mandate to form a coalition government. Bjarni attempted to reach an agreement with Restoration and Bright future on the formation of a new center-right government. Bjarni also failed to convince Katrín Jakobsdóttir, the chairwoman of the leftist Green movement to form an across-the-aisle government.
After Bjarni returned the mandate it passed to Katrín, and then to Birgitta Jónsdóttir, the leader of the anti-establishment Pirate party. Neither proved successful in forming a broad center-left government. These negotiations broke down due to unwillingness of Restoration to accept new taxes to finance investments in health care and education.
Read more: Analysis: No coalition in sight after Left-greens give up on forming a center-left government
Faced with this stalemate the president told party leaders that he would not give anyone the mandate to form a government, instead urging them to engage in informal negotiations. These now seem to have resulted in greater common ground between the center-right parties.
