Left Green Movement shifts further left amid tensions with Independence Party in Iceland

The Left Green Movement has made a significant shift to the left during its recent party council meeting, moving away from compromises within the coalition government. Political science professor Eiríkur Bergmann notes that tensions have escalated between the Left Greens and the Independence Party as a result.

During the party council meeting in Reykjanesbær last Saturday, a resolution condemning a decision by then Foreign Minister Bjarni Benediktsson to freeze contributions to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) drew particular attention. Eiríkur emphasized that reaching consensus on major issues in parliament will become increasingly difficult for the governing parties this winter, predicting that legislative changes will be “very challenging” and could lead to significant gridlock.

The potential for fatigue in long-term coalition collaboration is not unusual, though in this case, it has persisted for an extended period. Eiríkur acknowledged that society can tolerate delays in governmental decisions for some time, but such a situation cannot continue indefinitely.

Further developments include the transfer of gender equality and human rights issues back to the Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor from the Prime Minister’s office, a move viewed as sensible given the current Prime Minister’s lack of interest in the topic compared to his predecessor.

Additionally, the Left Greens have proposed that free meals in secondary schools should be upheld, with the party emphasizing the education system as a crucial equalizing force in a diverse society. However, concerns have been raised regarding the feasibility of providing free meals and educational materials without incurring wasteful costs. Finally, a call for a constitutional provision securing national ownership of resources and ensuring transparency in resource management was reiterated during the meeting.