Two Klausturgate MPs Return To Parliament

Two parliamentarians, who went on leave after recordings of them speaking abusively about their female colleagues were leaked, return to Parliament today.

RÚV reports that Gunnar Bragi Sveinsson and Bergþór Ólason, both MPs for the Centre Party, will be returning to Parliament today. Both took leaves of absence in the wake of recordings, taken at the bar Klaustur, where they were speaking disparagingly about their female colleagues, and where Gunnar Bragi implied he engaged in some quid pro quo dealings with the Independence Party.

Considering Bergþór was recorded calling People’s Party chair Inga Sæland “a raving mad cunt” who is “fucking crazy”, amongst other things, he was asked if he wondered if his colleagues would feel uncomfortable working with him again.

“I have to try [to get along with them] of course,” he told reporters. “I look forward to having good cooperation with everyone in all parties.”

Gunnar Bragi, in a statement he sent to the press, says that he has received a considerable amount of support, both from within his party and without.

But another part of his decision to return was a measure put forward by Parliamentary President Steingrímur J. Sigfússon, calling for a vote for two new parliamentary vice presidents to handle the Klausturgate case and decide if it should be referred to a prosecutor. The proposal passed with a solid majority—only Centre Party MPs, and two MPs outside any party, who were also at Klaustur on the night in question, voted against it.