The new ministerial line-up was announced at the president’s residence of Bessastaðir just before noon today, and there were a few surprises.
Social Democrat Guðbjartur Hannesson is now the Minister of Social Welfare – a new ministry created to combine the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Social Affairs. The previous Minister of Health, Álfheiður Ingadóttir, will be leaving the government altogether, while the previous Minister of Social Affairs, Árni Páll Árnason, will be the new Minister of Economics and Business, replacing the out-going Gylfi Magnússon.
Sources close to Fréttablaðið originally indicated that Árni Páll would be the new Minister of Social Welfare, and that the new Social Democrat to come in would likely by Oddný Sturladóttir.
Back in government, after resigning as Minister of Health nearly a year ago over a disagreement with the government about Icesave, is Leftist-Green Ögmundur Jónasson. He will be serving as the Minister of the Interior, also a new position, which combines the previous ministries of communications, transport and justice. Previous Minister of Communications and Transport Kristján Möller and previous Minister of Justice Ragna Arnadóttir will both be leaving.
The new government breaks up the previous 50/50 gender division. All outgoing parties that RÚV spoke to said they were happy with the new arrangement.
(Photo: RÚV)