The five parties deliberating to form a new five party majority coalition in government issued a statement yesterday where they inform that talks are going progressing. The main focus has been on finances, revenue and spending.
Very rarely has there been a more complicated situation in the wake of a parliamentary election. For the first time since 1987 there is no possibility to form a two party majority government and the leaders of the three parties with the best outcome declared that they are skeptical of a collaboration with the Independence party and visa versa from the onset.
Friday one week ago the Icelandic Pirate party received the third mandate to form a majority government after two previous failed attempts. This week they have been engaged in informal talks with the Left Green party, the Resurrection, Bright future and the Social Democratic Alliance. The newly released state budged has been the focus point of the deliberations. The parties have met four times and are scheduled to meet again at noon today. The results of the deliberations are expected next week.
As reported this is the third mandate handed out to a party leader by Iceland’s president since the 2106 presidential elections. To form a majority 32 parliamentarian seats are needed. The situation that arose in the elections is not a simple one. There seem to be thirteen different possibilities to form a majority, three possibilities of a four-party alliance and two possible five party coalitions. The political reality how ever, makes many of the possibilities unlikely.