Svavarsdóttir: "Of course we need to talk"
Bjarni Benediktsson, Prime Minister (Independence Party) Svandís Svavarsdóttir, Minister of Infrastructure and Sigurður Ingi Jóhannesson, Minister of Finances (Progressive Party). All three are leading their parties. Composite image/Eggert Jóhannesson
Svandís Svavarsdóttir, the newly elected chairman of the Left-Green Movement, says she does not believe that the resolution that was approved yesterday at the party’s national meeting is a ticket for more difficult cooperation between government parties until spring.
The resolution states that the government cooperation is nearing the end of the road and that parliamentary elections should be aimed for this spring, rather than autumn 2025.
"I think that it is always good in collaboration for people to speak clearly," Svavarsdóttir says.
"One of the things that needs to be done there is to weigh and evaluate the timeline we are working on and how we approach the elections and the end of the partnership."
Correct the course
But why spring and not autumn as it stands?
"I have already made it clear that I believe it is simply the case that we should keep to this course which has usually always been, which is to vote in the spring and then have the summer to deal with the formation of the government and then submit a budget proposal and policy document of the new prime minister in the fall," she says.
"I think it is a better arrangement than having an election campaign during the summer and voting in the fall and having this part of the parliamentary work in the wrong rhythm. That's just my opinion. I think it's just practical and better to do it this way."
Today, the country's citizens will go to the parliamentary elections on September 27 next year.
Elections have generally been held in the spring, but are now held until the fall, given that the current government was formed in the fall after the government of the Independence Party, the Liberal Reform Party, and the Bright Future Party split on September 15, 2017.