Lögberg-Heimskringla - 08.05.1987, Page 1

Lögberg-Heimskringla - 08.05.1987, Page 1
SEK hl-miil IE1.ANDS JAN 33 PD A D/J i 3K RI f'STOF A AUSTURoTRASTI 11 RBYKJAVIK, ICSLAND 1 -öqberq \ LÖ HE L leimskringla GBERG Stofnað 14. janúar 1888 IMSKRINGLA Stofnað 9. september 1886 Á 100. ÁRGANGUR ALDARAFMÆLISÁR, FÖSTUDAGUR 8. MAÍ 1987 NÚMER 18 Icelandrs government loses majority General elections took place in Iceland April 25 resulting in thé defeat of Prime Minister Steingrímur Hermannsson's coalition govern- ment. His party Progressive-Conser- vatives (Framsóknarflokkur) won 13 seats, the biggest party in Iceland, the Independence Party (Sjálfstæðis- flokkur) suffered its worst defeat winning only 18 seats, the Social Democrats (Alþýðuflokkur) gained a few seats, winning 10; the People's Alliance (Alþýðubandalagið) won 8 seats; the Citizen's Party (Borgaraflokkurinn) won 7 seats; the Woman's Alliance (Kvennalistinn) doubled its seats, winning 6. Steingrímur Hermannsson ran mostly on an economic platform, tak- ing much credit for bringing inflation down from 130% in 1983 to 12% last year. Yet his party was expected to lose more seats (only lost 1) so the result of the elections has been regarded as a personal victory for the Leaders of Iceland's political parties prepare for a TV appearance. Prime Minister. President Vigdís Finnbogadóttir has summoned the leaders of the ma- jor parties to start negotiations for a new government but Hermannsson's 60th wedding anniversary John and Bjorg Indridson, of Bur- naby, British Columbia, celebrated their 60th Wedding Anniversary on March 15, 1987 with an Open House, followed by a family dinner at the home of their daughter and son-in- law, Rod and Bernice Goodchild, of White Rock, Bíitish Columbia, hosted by their daughter, Bernice and son, Alvin. They were married on March 15, 1927 at Selkirk, Manitoba. They lived in Gimli, Manitoba, until 1940 when they moved to British Columbia, where they have been in the motel and hotel business during most of their years. John is still active in the hotel business in Burnaby to this date. They have a son and daughter-in- law, A1 and Sue Indridson of Van- couver, British Columbia, and a daughter and son-in-law, Berriice and Rod Goodchild of White Rock. They have eight grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. Out-of-town guests for the occasion included Thora Scramstad, Bjorg's sister and Matron of Honor at their John and Bjorg Indridson wedding, from Vancouver; John's brother and wife, Ray and Alvine In- dridson of Penticton, B.C.; and John's sister and husband, Sigga and Bos Mitchell of Selkirk, Manitoba; and other guests from Vancouver, B.C. and the Lower Mainland. Congratulatory messages were re- ceived from John's brother and wife, Bill and Irene Indridson of Selkirk, Manitoba, from Burnaby, Provincial and Federal Dignitaries and Queen Elizabeth. government, a centre-right coalition of the progressive Party and the In- dependence Party, now only hold 31 seats in the 63-seat Althing, Iceland's Parliament. The main.reason for the Independence Party's loss was former Finance Minister's new par- ty, the Citizen's Party led by Albert Guðmundsson who, after being caught mishandling funds and other questionable activities, was asked by Independence Party leader Þorsteinn Pálsson to resign. Guðmundsson's resignation led to a split within the Independence Party. The party which gained most in the last elections was the feminist Women's Alliance. The party made history in 1983 when it became the first feminist movement in the world to win parliamentary seats. Party members now insist that it has won the right to enter the government and leaders of major parties acknowledge that the feminists will likely hold the balance of power in negotiations be- tween centre-right and left-wing par- ties. Said a spokesman for the feminists, Kristæn Halldórsdóttir: "The people have demanded that the (Women's) Alliance enters gov- ernment. We will consider every of- fer, but it is too early to tell what kind of government will be formed.'' Icelandic women complain that de- spite equal-pay legislation, men's wages are effectively 59% higher than women’s. Women tend to hold such jobs as gutting and packing fish, or work at poorly paid clerical posts in banks and government offices. At this point Lögberg-Heimskringla hasn't heard which party was given the authority first to try to form a government but that opportunity is normally given to the party winning most seats, so in this case it would be the Independence Party. There is speculation that the Independence Party and the Progressive-Conser- vatives might again form the govern- ment with the support of the third. But the possibilities are numerous so Iceland may have to wait a while before a new government is formed. Steingrímur Hermannsson.

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