63.3% strongly agree with Benediktsson’s decision to resign in a new poll
Bjarni Benediktsson resigned from his post as Minister of Finance and Economic Affairs last Tuesday. mbl.is/Kristinn Magnússon
A poll conducted by Maskína shows that 63.3% of respondents strongly agree with the decision of Bjarni Benediktsson, the Minister of Finance and Economic Affairs, to resign from his post.
This is reflected in a new survey conducted by Maskína on October 12 and 13. The total number of respondents was 916.
Benediktsson resigned following an opinion from the Parliamentary Ombudsman that he had a conflict of interest in selling the government’s holdings in Íslandsbanki since Benediktsson’s father was among the buyers in the bank.
A large majority wants Bjarna out of government
16.8% of participants agreed with Benediktsson's decision and 6.1% disagreed with his decision or disagreed strongly.
71% of participants said that Bjarni should quit as minister. 13% said that they wanted him to continue in another ministry and 2,8% said that he should withdraw his resignation and continue as minister of Finance and Economic Affairs.
The next steps will be clear tomorrow.
Press conference at 11 tomorrow
The chairs of the three government parties have called a press conference tomorrow at 11 am, which will announce the changes in the government that will take place following the resignation of Finance Minister Bjarni Benediktsson. The decision was made after the Ombudsman’s opinion on the sale of the government’s stake in Íslandsbanki.
The three chairs of the ruling parties: Bjarni Benediktsson for the Independence Party, Katrín Jakobsdóttir for the Green Movement and Sigurður Ingi Jóhannsson for the Progressive Party. mbl.is/Eggert Jóhannesson
According to the Prime Minister’s Office, the ministers who are invited to attend the meeting are the Prime Minister, the Minister of Finance and Economic Affairs, and the Minister of Infrastructure, or Katrín Jakobsdóttir, the chair of the Green Movement, Benediktsson, the chair of the Independence Party and Sigurður Ingi Jóhannsson, the chair of the Progressive Party.
The meeting will take place in Edda, the house of the Icelandic language.
Afterwards, the chairs, as well as other ministers, will head to Bessastaðir, where a cabinet meeting has been scheduled for tomorrow at 14:00. The cabinet will then be formally changed.
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