A group of protesters in Hafnarfjörður have protested what they see as the undemocratic appointment of the town’s previous mayor back in office, despite him not even winning enough votes for a seat on town council.
As previously reported, after the 29 May municipal elections, the conservatives won five seats in Hafnarfjörður town council, the Social Democrats won five seats, and the Leftist-Greens won one seat. Mayor Lúðvík Geirsson was number six on the Social Democrats’ list of candidates, and so by all intents and purposes lost his seat on city council, let alone his mayoral office.
However, after negotiations between the Leftist-Greens and the Social Democrats on the formation of a new majority, it was decided that Lúðvík would come back as mayor of the town until June 2012, and which point Leftist-Green councilperson Guðrún Ágústa Guðmundsdóttir will take up the position.
1,100 people joined a Facebook group protesting the decision, and encouraging townspeople to assemble today at a town council meeting to protest the formal execution of the decision. About 100 showed up, booing town council when the decision was called upon, and holding up red cards. According to Vísir, some shouted, “We protest!” and “This is not democracy!”
Conservatives also refused to acknowledge Lúðvík as mayor, pointing out that he didn’t even win a seat on town council.