Chairwoman of the Pirate party, MP Birgitta Jonsdottir was formally handed the mandate to form a government by the president of Iceland following the general elections a month ago. This was announced yesterday afternoon. Jonsdottir was summoned to Bessastaðir, the presidential residence at 4pm to meet Iceland’s president Gudni Th. Johannesson. The meeting was followed by an announcement to journalists informing that Jonsdottir was next in line as his choice to attempt to put together a majority coalition.
The Pirate Party had third of the vote in the general elections, after the Left Green and the Indipendance party, which held a clear majority. The leaders of those two parties have both attempted to form majorities and failed. Bjarni Benediktsson of the Independence party attempted to form a three party majority and Katrin Jakobsdottir of the Left Green attempted to form a five party majority, both failed.
Jonsdottir is the third party representative to receive this presidential mandate. The Pirates have ten MPs in the new parliament and must secure a coalition commanding at least 32 to be able to shape a majority government so the five-party coalition is back on the table.
The Pirate party in Iceland has a huge following. Many see them as an anti-establishment party but the chairwoman Birgitta Jónsdóttir is one of the most beloved politician in Iceland after Katrin Jakobsdottir of the Left Green who has repeatedly been surveyed as the most trusted politician in Iceland.
Birgitta Jonsdottir is an Icelandic politician, poet, and activist. She is currently a Member of the Althing for the Southwest Constituency, representing the Pirate Party, having been elected at the 2013 election according to information from Wikipedia, featured image is from Wikipedia as well.