Two MPs, who previously left the parliamentary party of the Leftist-Greens, completely left the party during this weekend’s national convention. A new political party could be now in the works.
Atli Gíslason and Lilja Mósesdóttir left the parliamentary party of the Leftist-Greens last March, citing disagreements with the party over the EU, cuts to social programmes, and the IMF. This resignation meant that while not participating in parliament as members of the party, they were still registered members.
Last Saturday, during the Leftist-Greens’ national convention – during which the party platform and leadership are debated and voted upon – both Lilja and Atli made their resignations complete.
The timing for the decision, Lilja said, was to make clear for the grassroots of the Leftist-Greens her reasons for departure. Among them, apart from the previously mentioned policy differences, was what she sees as too great of a top-down party structure, with more emphasis placed on the desires of the chair rather than the grassroots.
She told reporters that she was open to the possibility of forming a new political party which would “fight for the revival of a welfare society that serves the public.”
This could mean that three serious contenders for parliamentary seats may be competing with the five now in parliament: in addition to Lilja’s party – if it is formed – there’s the Best Party, who are examining whether or not to run for parliament but show strong support to do so, and the as-yet-unformed party of former Progressive Guðmundur Steingrímsson, which also shows some promising numbers.
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