The Icelandic Prime Minister called for early elections on Friday after one party in the ruling coalition left the government formed less than nine months ago.
The outgoing liberal party ‘Bright Future’ cited ‘breach of trust’ as the reason for leaving the coalition with conservatives and the liberal Reformist Party after the conservative Independence Party of Prime Minister Bjarni Benediktsson allegedly attempted to cover up a scandal involving his father.
Iceland is now facing its second early election in less than a year.
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“We have lost the majority and I do not see how we could regain it. I call for elections,” said the Prime Minister, adding that the elections could be held in November.
It is now up to the President of the country, Guðni Jóhannesson, to decide on new elections.
The Prime Minister’s father wrote a recommendation to the Ministry of Justice for his friend to have his criminal record expunged after being convicted of child sexual abuse. Minister Sigridur Andrsen initially refused to disclose who wrote the recommendation letter but did so under pressure from a parliamentary committee.
The Prime Minister claims he informed coalition partners about this when he could legally do so.
