Leftist-Green MP Ögmundur Jónasson has resigned from his post as Minister of Health, citing irreconcilable differences with regards to the Icesave deal currently being negotiated in the government. He is to be replaced by another Leftist-Green MP, Álfheiður Ingadóttir.
Jónasson, among others in the Leftist-Greens, have been unsatisfied with the terms and conditions of the British and Dutch authorities, and have asked that the deal be brought before the whole of parliament for discussion and fine tuning. However, Prime Minister Jóhanna Sigurðardóttir has emphasized a different approach, wherein negotiating with opposition parties is ignored, and instead the ruling coalition of her party, the Social Democrats, and the Leftist-Greens attempt a united front to roll the deal through.
According to sources close to Fréttablaðið, the ruling coalition is apparently on shaky ground, yet both Social Dems and Leftist-Greens that the paper spoke to said they have no intention of forming a coalition with any other party but each other.
These same sources also say that Sigurðardóttir has lost all patience in the matter, and does not believe that any member of the opposition can be trusted to support the Icesave deal. Therefore, every single member of the ruling coalition must vote with the deal in order for it to pass. Meanwhile, Minister of Finance Steingrímur J. Sigfússon continues talks with British and Dutch authorities to reach an agreement.
Parliament begins its formal opening today, and protests are expected.