Opposition Will Also Call For Dissolution, Early Elections

Parliamentary opposition parties will also submit a proposal for early elections, in addition to a no confidence vote. Iceland’s President is due to return to Iceland early tomorrow morning.

Vísir reports that in addition to the vote of no confidence the parliamentary opposition intends to submit against the Prime Minister, they will also submit a proposal calling for the dissolution of parliament and early elections.

All leading members of the opposition have confirmed this for reporters. Pirate Party captain Birgitta Jónsdóttir furthermore added that it is her hope the Prime Minister resigns before the proposal is submitted at 15:00 today.

Furthermore, RÚV reports the President Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson, who is in the US on private business, will be returning to Iceland early tomorrow morning. His assistants would not comment on the exact reason for his early return.

However, the President, as the head of state, is tasked with forming the ruling coalition of the Icelandic government. During the parliamentary crisis of 2009, he was put in charge of forming the emergency coalition – at the time comprised of the Progressives, the Social Democrats and the Left-Greens – to take the reins until new, early elections could be held.

Willum Þór Þórsson, an MP for the Progressive Party, told RÚV that his party is currently in talks over what their next move should be. He said that it was “completely clear” that the PM has the support of members of his party, but on the question of their partnership with the Independence Party being broken, he said, “Talks have not reached this point yet. They need to determine their position amongst themselves, and with us, and maybe in the wake of that we can talk again.”