Left-Green Movement Katrín Jakobsdóttir has spoken to the leader of the Independence Party, Bjarni Benediktsson, to discuss a possible coalition government.
According to Icelandic newspaper Morgunblaðið, Benediktsson also spoke with the Progressive Party leader Sigurður Ingi Jóhannsson.
Jakobsdóttir is thought to want a coalition with Independence, the Progressives, and the Social Democratic Alliance; such a government would hold 42 seats in the Althing – a majority of ten. However, it is believed that Benediktsson is not prepared to accept Jakobsdóttir taking over as Prime Minister.
PRO-EU PARTIES ABANDON CALLS TO RESTART ACCESSION TALKS
The two parliamentary parties that support Iceland joining the European Union have both said that a referendum on restarting talks will not be a condition for any coalition talks.
Centre-left Social Democratic Alliance and the centrist Reform Party both ruled out insisting on a national vote on EU membership, saying that now is not the time for such a debate.
The majority of Icelanders do not support joining the European Union, with a recent poll suggesting that 60% of the population would reject such a move.
The other party that supports Iceland’s accession to the EU, Bright Future, dramatically lost all their seats in parliament.
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