Hopes the city majority will be formed this week but makes no promises

Schools, city operations, transportation, and housing issues are among the topics that have been discussed in the ongoing majority talks between left-wing parties in Reykjavík. But not the who would be a new mayor.

As is known, the leaders of the Left Greens, the Socialist Party, the Social Democratic Alliance, the People's Party, and the Pirate Party are meeting to form a new majority in the Reykjavík city council.

The Left Green city councilor hopes that the talks will be concluded by next weekend but makes no promises.

Discussing the "big issues"

"Today we have continued to discuss the big issues," says Líf Magneudóttir, VG city councilor in Reykjavík, in an interview with mbl.is.

She is joined at the meetings by Heiða Björg Hilmisdóttir (S), Dóra Björt Guðjónsdóttir (P), Sanna Magdalena Mörtudóttir (J) and Helga Þórðardóttir (F).

And what are these big issues she's talking about?

"These are just what everyone is mentioning; the housing and transportation issues, preschools and elementary schools, and we've been discussing a lot of services for city residents."

At their meetings, the leadership women have invited people from the city administration to get an overview of the situation in Reykjavík. That work is still ongoing, according to Magneudóttir.

"This is all taking shape."

How long is a long time in politics?

A representative of the Independence Party said on the Bylgjan’s radioshow Sprengisandur today that it was surprising "that this conversation would take so long." Asked about this, Magneudóttir asks a counter question.

"First, of course, I ask: Is four days a long time when five parties come together and everything is under control? I understand that city residents and Hildur Björnsdóttir are impatient. I am too. So we try to work hard and be quick," she answers.

“But what is a long time in politics?” she adds with a smile, referring to a much-spoken cliché among politicians. “Is it a week? Or maybe it’s a little longer. I don’t know.”

Magneudóttir also points out that Helga Þórðardóttir, who has just been appointed as the leader of the People’s Party, has not experienced a long time in politics, having only been on the city council for 18 days. “They need to be shown that space. This is a bit of a deep pool for her, but she is incredibly agile and very quick to get into everything.”

I know no one believes us but...

The mayor’s chair has not yet been discussed at their meetings, Magneudóttir says in a statement about who will be the next mayor.

“I know no one believes us and that we have all said it but we just haven’t discussed it,” she says.

“We haven’t discussed positions or chairmanships, or committees and councils, or city government positions. We’ve completely let it be a matter of state at this stage.”

They will discuss it, however. “But first we need to finalize what unites us and what we agree on.”

“Absolutely super-efficient”

You mentioned that school and preschool issues had been under discussion. Have you reached a different point in those issues than the last majority?

“It’s just not time to give it up, I would say,” she replies, adding:

“Of course, we’ve also been looking at the operations of the city of Reykjavík and called one of the finance directors to our meeting yesterday. So we need to address all these aspects. We’re busy with that work and we’ve been super-efficient.”

She says that the leaders will meet again tomorrow, and then there will be a city council meeting as scheduled on Tuesday. “I hope that this will become clearer in the coming week,” she says.

Can we expect these talks to be concluded this week?

“The basis of cooperation is that we know what we are going to do and as I have said, we just take the time we need to shape those priorities. And just a little bit of expectation management, I am not going to make any promises, but it is a desired position we will reach next week. And we are trying to do this as soon as possible.”

The work has been progressing so far, but she repeats: “I hope it will be this week but I am not promising anything. None of us can somehow promise that.”