The city majority has collapsed
Einar Þorsteinsson, borgarstjóri Reykjavíkur. mbl.is/Eyþór
The majority of the Reykjavík city council is broken. The mayor, Einar Þorsteinsson, broke the majority during an hour-long meeting with the parties' leaders on Friday.
Einar Þorsteinsson said in Morgunblaðið's Dagmál on Thursday that the majority was up in the air by the support of the Progressive Party for the proposal of the Independence Party for a change in the general plan that aimed to keep the airport in Vatnsmýri until the year 2040.
He invited the Independence Party, The Liberal Reform Party, and the People's Party to talk about forming a new majority. There have been, according to Morgunblaðið sources, some tentative steps in the run-up to the meeting.
Shortly after the mayor's statement, his meeting with the leaders of the People's Party, the Liberal Reform Party, and the Independence Party began.
Negotiations between the Independence Party, Progressive Party, Liberal Reform Party, and the People's Party then fell through on Saturday after Inga Sæland, the chairwoman of the People's Party, said that the People's Party would not lead the Independence Party to power.
Einar Þorsteinsson tried to get the People's Party involved in a new coalition with the Independence Party of Friday by saying the party could exercise its influence on city planning and were also in alignment with the Progressive Party and the Independence Party on the issue of the Reykjavik Airport. However, Inga Sæland, the chair of the People's Party announced on Saturday that the party would not "lead the Independence Party" to power. Composite image
A pure left-wing council is possible
There are several possibilities for forming a new majority in the city of Reykjavík. A majority can be formed only with left-wing parties, but it is not possible to form a majority only with right-wing parties.
The city council has 23 city councilors, so a minimum majority of 12 is needed.
The coalition city council between the Social Democratic Alliance, Progressive Party, Pirate Party, and the Liberal Reform Party collapsed on Friday, but that majority included 13 city councillors. It is fairly clear that that majority will not be renewed.
A right-wing council is not in the cards
The Socialists and Left Greens have also said that they are open to talks with parties that are “like-minded” with them, and it can therefore be assumed that with those words they are excluding the Independence Party.
Hildur Björnsdóttir, the chair of the Independence Party in the City. mbl.is/Eggert Jóhannesson
The Independence Party has six city councilors and could therefore form a majority with the Social Democratic Alliance, which has five city councilors, and the Progressive Party, which has four city councilors. Such a majority would have the support of 15 city councilors.
The Independence Party and Progressive Party could also form a majority with the Pirates and such a government would have the support of 14 city councilors.
The Independence Party, the Social Democratic Alliance, and the Liberal Reform Party could form a 12-member majority.
A five-party left-wing government is possible
Dóra Björt Guðjónsdóttir, leader of the Pirates, said in a statement on Saturday that there were several options in the situation, such as a five-party left-wing government of the Pirates, the Social Democratic Alliance, the People's Party, the Left Greens and the Socialists.
Top left is Líf Magneudóttir, leader of the Left Greens, and to her right is Sanna Magdalena Mörtudóttir, leader of the Socialists. Top right is Heiða Björg Hilmisdóttir, leader of the Social Democratic Alliance. Bottom left is Dóra Björt Guðjónsdóttir, leader of the Pirate Party, and to her right is Helga Þórðardóttir, leader of the People's Party. Composite image
Such a majority would have the support of 12 city councillors.
Einar Þorsteinsson, mayor and leader of the Progressive Party, blew up the majority and has said that he wants, among other things, to speed up the construction of the airport. He also has a similar ideology on airport issues to the Independence Party and the People's Party.
The Progressive Party could participate in various majorities, but it is unlikely that the party will participate in a collaboration that will be anything like what was being hatched.
Various majorities can be pieced together
However, it would be possible to form a majority of the Social Democratic Alliance, the Progressive Party, and the Pirate Party, but such a majority would have the support of 12 city councilors.
An example of another majority would be, for example, a majority of the Social Democratic Alliance, the Progressive Party, the Pirate Party, and the People's Party with 13 city councilors.
Various majorities can be pieced together and according to some city councilors that mbl.is has spoken to, everyone is talking to everyone.
Number of city councilors in each party:
- The Independence Party has six city councilors.
- The Social Democratic Party has five city councilors.
- The Progressive Party has four city councilors.
- The Pirate Party has three city councilors.
- The Socialists have two city councilors.
- The Liberal Reform Party has one city councilor.
- The People's Party has one city councilor.
- The Left Greens have one city councilor.
