According to sources close to Morgunblaðið, coalition talks between the
Social Democrats and Leftist-Greens are all but finished.
According to the source, there are but a few, minor details that need to be address before the two parties can draw up an agreement. When this agreement is made, by Icelandic law, the coalition partners will then meet the president to submit their agreement for approval. The president usually then approves the coalition, and a new government is then created.
Among the changes to Icelandic government that will come about, according to the source, are a reduction within the ministries – whether this will mean the conjoining of existing ministries is still not clear. The conjoining of ministries, should it occur, is not expected to happen until next year. Another idea would be to not conjoin ministries per se, but have them under one budgetary umbrella.
Also, the government plans to establish a Ministry of Employment, in conjunction with the Ministry of Fisheries and Agriculture and the Ministry of Industry. There was also talk of a Ministry for the Environment and Resources.
The sources were not able to confirm whether any of these ideas will make it into the final coalition agreement.
Registered members of the respective parties are expected to meet over the weekend to discuss and vote on what has been drawn up so far.