Words by

Flokkur Heimilanna

1.     Briefly describe your party’s general agenda in one sentence.
The Household’s Party, X-I, will tackle the most pressing economic issue at hand: the mutated consumer- and home loans that the general public in Iceland was left with as a result of the financial crash of 2008. This still has not been addressed five years after the collapse of the banking system and the country’s currency.
2.     Tell us about your party. What’s it all about?
It’s all about saving the people from the debt trap, which has enslaved 60% of the population as a result of the financial crash of 2008—60% of Icelandic households owe more than they own due to this situation and this needs to be corrected. Does it have a history? The Household’s Party was established on March 19, 2013, as a result of a merger of eight various political parties, grassroots organisations and groups exiting the old “Fourparty” (“The Fourparty” is a common moniker for the four traditional political parties that have been in power for the last decades). Are we proud of that history? We are very proud to say that the unification of these eight different groups under one banner to fight for families and individuals who have been wronged is a monumental task accomplished in today‘s Icelandic political environment.
3.     Is there a foreign sister party that you identify with, one that international readers might identify with?
We believe that this party is unique in the sense that nowhere in the world are debtors forced to accept mutated mortgages and consumer loans due to the inflation index.
4.     What do you consider the most important issue facing Iceland today?
The economy is basically in ruins and has been since the collapse in October of 2008. The situation will not improve unless the people driving the economy are freed from this manmade disaster of the mutated mortgages and consumer loans. How about the most important issue to consider in this election? The most important issue is: Who do you trust to get the job done? The Household’s Party is a new party, free from all former politicians; this party does not have any powerful special interest groups behind it. The Household’s Party is about ordinary people saying: Enough is enough; let’s do this job ourselves
5.     What do you admire about the current coalition government and what it accomplished in the last four years?
Well, we admire the fact that anyone is actually considering voting for these people again according to the opinion polls. What do we dislike? Their total and complete incompetence tackling the economy. What will we do better? We will raise the economy, we will actually do what we say we will do. There will be no discount on our policies to put out the financial fires burning in people’s homes.
6.     Was the financial crisis in 2008 and the problems Iceland now faces in some way caused by government policy and action or the lack thereof?
“The Fourparty” is responsible for the crash and its aftermath. Lack of banking regulations and the lack of action when it came to helping out the general public while select corporations and individuals in society were bailed out, these parties’ debts being written off while the general public is left with mutated loans. Is our party in some way responsible for this? Not at all. The Household’s Party was established in March 2013, we are here to clean up the mess left by “The Fourparty.”
7.     Specifically, how do you plan to bring Iceland back to economic prosperity?
The best way to boost economic prosperity in Iceland is to rectify the mutated loans so that ordinary people will have more money in their pockets to spend on goods and services, which will in turn will allow businesses to create more jobs, to name one specific thing.
8.     Do you want to weaken, strengthen or keep unchanged the regulation of the financial industry and other business activity in Iceland?
We need to revoke the banks’ license to print money out of thin air. It is not fair in a free market environment to give one type of private company the right to print money and others not. In this case the power must rest with the Central Bank. Furthermore private banks need to be regulated properly; they must be prevented from finding themselves in the same crash prone situation ever again.
9.     Do you plan to increase or decrease the total tax burden in Iceland?
Taxes must be lowered across the board on businesses and individuals. You cannot raise taxes during a depression such as we currently find ourselves in. In the immortal words of the wartime Prime Minister of Britain, Mr. Winston Churchill: “For a nation to tax itself into prosperity is like a man standing in a bucket and trying to lift himself up by the handle.”
10.  Do you believe in the Icelandic króna? Or will you work to adopt an alternative currency? If so, which one?
The current Icelandic króna cannot be used for international business, it must be dumped and a new currency instated to lift the capital controls. There are several options in regards to which currency should be adopted. Choosing the right option must be considered carefully
11.  Do you support the newly passed law removing an expiration date from Iceland’s capital controls? Will your party work to lift these controls? Does it have a timeframe in mind?
The capital controls should be lifted within the next 12–24 months, doing business in the current control environment for longer than that is unthinkable.
12.  Do you believe that the collapse was more than an economic one? If so, what else failed in 2008 and does it still need fixing?
If nothing is done to regulate the banks and bring stability to the economy, then we are heading on a one-way path to another collapse.
13.  How can the government best serve Icelandic homes?
By ensuring that the inflation index is disconnected from peoples’ mortgages and consumer loans. The current situation is unbearable, if nothing is done to change the situation then we fear the collapse of our social fabric may not be far away.
14.  What is your stance on Iceland’s application to the European Union? Do you ultimately think Icelanders’ interests would be best served by being part of this coalition?
Although the EU is a close strategic, economic and cultural partner, we feel that the EU issue is not important at the moment. The loan and mortgages issue is the primary issue. Ultimately it must be down to a binding referendum like the one held around the Icesave issue, to decide Iceland’s fate in this matter. Politicians have no right to force any conclusion onto the public. It’s down to the people’s will when the time comes.
15.  What is your stance on the new constitution that was called for in the wake of Iceland’s financial crisis?
We feel that even though some amendment ideas are interesting and constructive, this issue is not the most crucial one in the coming election. Are we for or against pushing the current draft through parliament? The current constitution has been in effect unchanged more or less since 1944; the constitution will not be an issue in the coming elections for the majority of the people of this country. People need justice towards their own financial affairs before the constitution becomes an issue.
16.  Will your party do something to protect the land and its resources?
While protecting nature and land is very important it is also important to utilise one’s resources. This must of course be done in harmony. We do not believe that a more stringent regulative framework is needed to protect the environment, since most people already realise its importance and value nowadays
17.  Is gender equality a problem in Iceland? If so, what does your plan to do to ensure equality?
We do not believe gender equality is a problem in Iceland.  Iceland has one of the highest rates of gender equality in the world already, according to international studies.
18.  Where do you stand on immigration issues?
We believe in openly receiving and welcoming immigrants given that their purpose is to participate in society in a peaceful way.
19.  Does your party harbour any ideas about the role of religion in governance?
We actually have not discussed this topic and feel it is not important.
20.  Are there any parties that your party will not work with in a coalition government?
The Household’s Party will work with any party which shares our goal to free the citizens of this country from the debt slavery in which they have been placed.  Why? The answer is simple. It is our duty to do whatever it takes to rectify the mutated mortgages and restore justice to the people and the economy of this country. Personal politics and feelings, if any, do not matter at all. The only thing that matters is getting the job done.