New Government of Iceland Takes Office
The new government, at Bessastaðir. Photo/Árni Sæberg
A new government took office in Iceland yesterday, Morgunblaðið reports. Just like the previous government, it is a tri-party coalition of the Independence Party, the Progressive Party and the Left-Greeen Movement, headed by Katrín Jakobsdóttir.
Twelve ministers make up the new government, instead of 11 before. Ten of the ministers in the new government were part of the previous one. The new ministers are Jón Gunnarsson, from the Independence Party, who will serve as minister of justice, and Willum Þór Þórsson, from the Progressive Party, who will serve as minister of health.
Members of the new government at Bessastaðir, the presidential residence, along with President of Iceland Guðni Th. Jóhannesson. mbl.is/Árni Sæberg
Ministers from the Left-Green Movement are as follows:
Katrín Jakobsdóttir continues to serve as prime minister.
Svandís Svavarsdóttir , formerly minister of health, will serve as minister of fisheries and agriculture.
Guðmundur Ingi Guðbrandsson , formerly minister for the environment, will serve as minister of social affairs and the labor market.
The Progressive Party , which gained support in the September elections, will be in charge of one additional ministry, compared with the previous government:
Sigurður Ingi Jóhannsson , the party leader, will be minister of infrastructure.
Lilja Dögg Alfreðsdóttir , formerly minister for education, will be minister of tourism, trade and culture.
Ásmundur Einar Daðason will serve as minister of education and children’s affairs.
Willum Þór Þórsson will serve as minister of health, as stated above.
Five ministries will be in the hands of the Independence Party .
Bjarni Benediktsson will continue to serve as minister of finance and economic affairs.
Guðlaugur Þór Þórðarson , formerly minister of foreign affairs, will serve as minister for the environment, energy and climate.
Þórdís Kolbrún R. Gylfadóttir will serve as minister of foreign affairs and international development cooperation.
Áslaug Arna Sigurbjörnsdóttir , formerly minister of justice, will serve as minister of science, industry and innovation.
As stated above, Jón Gunnarsson will serve as minister of the interior, but no more than 18 months from now, the plan is for Guðrún Hafsteinsdóttir to replace him.
