Party leaders meet as parliament negotiations continue
Guðrún Hafsteinsdóttir, chair of the Independence Party, and Kristrún Frostadóttir, chair of the Social Democratic Alliance and the Prime Minister of Iceland. Composite image/mbl.is /Óttar /Karítas
The leaders of all parliamentary parties met last night, followed by extended discussions among the parliamentary group chairpersons. According to mbl.is sources, the group chairs are scheduled to meet again later today.
The atmosphere at Alþingi (Iceland's Parliament) has been relatively calm this morning, and MPs are keeping negotiations on the end-of-session agreements tightly under wraps.
Currently, the second reading of the fiscal plan for 2026–2030 is underway, with the controversial fisheries fee bill also on the agenda later today.
Compromises still unclear
The fact that other issues besides the fisheries fees are being discussed may indicate some progress in the negotiations. In recent weeks, the agenda has often been broadened with additional items beyond just the fishing fees—like today—as a way to ease discussions.
However, it remains entirely unclear whether any compromises have been reached among the party group chairs.
Concerns over use of the “Nuclear option”
Conversations in the halls of Alþingi suggest rising concern among MPs in the past 24 hours about the possible use of what’s known as the “nuclear option”—Article 71 of the parliamentary procedures act—by the governing coalition parties.
According to mbl.is, this article has only been formally used twice before, most recently in 1959.
The article allows for debate to be terminated and for a vote to be forced.
Sigmar Guðmundsson, parliamentary group chair for the Reform Party (Viðreisn), told Morgunblaðið last week that while negotiated agreements are obviously preferable, he could not rule out the use of Article 71.
