A proposal from the Independence Party to drop the trial of former Prime Minister Geir H. Haarde has inspired mixed feelings among members of parliament, both in the ruling coalition and the opposition.
In the wake of the report from the Special Investigative Commission – which found that among others, Geir was partially responsible for the 2008 financial collapse – he is currently on trial for mismanagement and negligence during his time as Prime Minister. Geir has long maintained that he is innocent, and the victim of circumstances beyond his control.
MPs from the Independence Party have now proposed that the trial be dropped, RÚV reports. The reaction within parliament has been decidedly mixed.
Vísir reports that the Leftist-Greens, as a party, are against the proposal. However, it does have the support of Leftist-Green MP Guðfríður Lilja Grétarsdóttir.
Other members of the ruling coalition have also shown support for the measure, among them Kristján Möller and Sigmundur Ernir Rúnarsson, both Social Democrats. At the same time, other Social Democrats, such as Róbert Marshall, believe the trial cannot and should not be stopped.
While The Movement is united in their belief the trial should continue, members of the Progressive Party are apparently divided, Vísir reports.
Leftist-Greens parliamentary party chairman Björn Valur Gíslason believes the conservatives will try to push the measure through before Christmas. With support and opposition as mixed as it is, the outcome at the moment is almost impossible to predict.
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