Most Icelanders Want Interior Minister To Resign

A new poll shows considerable opposition to Minister of the Interior Hanna Birna Kristjánsdóttir staying in power – even from members of her own party.

Vísir reports that, according to a new poll from Stöð 2 and Fréttablaðið, 50% said they believe Hanna Birna should resign, 30% believe she should remain on, 14% were undecided and 4% did not want to answer. If only those who expressed an opinion are considered, 60% support her resignation while 40% oppose it.

In terms of demographics, Icelanders over the age of 50 were almost evenly divided over the resignation question, while those 18 to 49 were 70% in favour of her stepping down. By party affiliation, the majority of opposition party voters want Hanna Birna to resign, but so do 25% of voters for the Independence Party, from which Hanna Birna hails.

The Interior Minister has been under increasing criticism when it came to light that one of her assistants, Gísli Freyr Valdórsson, confessed to having leaked the infamous Tony Omos memo. Despite the Minister’s public announcement of surprise at the confession, it is a matter of public record that she had access to the memo in the Ministry’s computer system.

Since the announcement, the Ministry has gone on the defensive, blocking media access to Ministry employees.

So far, over 2,000 Icelanders have said they will attend a protest demonstration tomorrow that puts the spotlight on Hanna Birna, with a solidarity protest to be held in front of the Icelandic embassy in Copenhagen at the same time.