Reykjavík Grapevine - 07.04.2006, Blaðsíða 12

Paul F. Nikolov gives us Grapevine’s Government Guide
Grapevine’s Government Guide
Who They Are and How They Vote
(and how you can watch it)
The Leftist-Green Party (Vinstrihreyfingin-
Grænt Framboð)
Guiding principles: Far-left, pro-environmental, anti-NATO, feminist.
Party Chairperson: Steingrímur J. Sigfússon
Number of seats: 5
Registered members: about 1,400
Ministers: none
Strange but true: The sole party that not only believes Iceland should see to
its own defence, but should also split from NATO altogether.
Website: www.vg.is
E-mail: vg@vg.is
Phone: 552-8872
Address: Pósthólf 175, 121 Reykjavík
The Social Democratic Party (Samfylkingin)
Guiding principles: Left-centrist, social-democratic.
Party Chairman: Ingibjörg Sólrún Gísladóttir
Number of seats: 20
Registered members: about 20,000
Ministers: none
Strange but true:
Writing on the party’s homepage, MP Össur Skarphéðinsson said that the
Leftist-Green Party “has been squealing like a stuck pig over how much other
parties spend on [the city council election] campaign.”
Website: www.samfylking.is
E-mail: samfylking@samfylking.is
Phone: 414-2200
Address: Hallveigarstígur 1 (2nd Floor), Box 160, 101 Reykjavík
The Progressive Party
(Framsóknarflokkurinn)
Guiding principles: Right-centrist; believes in fewer economic and
environmental regulations while strengthening the social system.
Party Chairman: Halldór Ásgrímsson
Number of seats: 12
Registered members: about 10,000
Ministers: Prime Minister Halldór Ásgrímsson, Minister of Social Affairs
Jón Kristjánsson, Minister of Agriculture Guðni Ágústsson, Minister of
Health Siv Friðleifsdóttir, Minister of Industry Valgerður Sverrisdóttir
Strange but true: Prime Minister Halldór Ásgrímsson initially expressed
surprise on hearing that the US NATO base was to close, only to tell
reporters a few days later that he long expected the base to close.
Website: www.framsokn.is
E-mail: framsokn@framsokn.is
Phone: 540-4300
Address: Hverfisgata 33 (2nd Floor), 101 Reykjavík
The Liberal Party (Frjálslyndir)
Guiding principles: Right-centrist, emphasising the
rights of fishermen and increasing government transparency.
Party Chairman: Guðjón Kristjánsson
Number of seats: 3
Registered members: about 2,000
Ministers: none
Strange but true: Despite their similarities to the Independence Party,
former party chairman Sverrir Hermannsson, in an article on the party
website, sets the tone for the party as a whole in saying that the invasion of
Iraq was “illegal.”
Website: www.frjalslyndir.is
E-mail: xf@xf.is
Phone: 552-2600
Address: Aðalstræti 9, 101 Reykjavík
The Independence Party
(Sjálfstæðisflokkurinn)
Guiding principles: Right-wing, mouthpiece for privatisation in all areas of
society.
Party Chairman: Geir H. Haarde
Number of seats: 23
Registered members: about 34,000
Ministers: Minister of Fisheries Einar K. Guðfinnson, Minister of Justice
Björn Bjarnason, Minister of Foreign Affairs Geir H. Haarde, Minister
of the Economy Árni M. Mathiesen, President of Parliament Solveig
Pétursdóttir, Minister of the Environment Sigríður A. Þórðardóttir, Minister
of Communications Sturla Böðvarsson, Minister of Education Þórgerður
Katrín Gunnarsdóttir.
Strange but true: Party chairman Geir H. Haarde has indicated that Iceland
could pay the US to keep the base open by covering operating costs.
Website: www.xd.is
E-mail: xd@xd.is
Phone: 515-1700
Address: Háaleitisbraut 1, 105 Reykjavík
What will you miss most about the NATO base?
And this issue’s question is . . .
MP Magnús Þór Hafsteinsson
Independence Party:
“They’ve been taking care of
the security of our country for
a long time now, so that will
be missed, not to mention the
services and the jobs they’ve pro-
vided.” MP Guðjón Hjörleifsson.
miss it, but my mother worked there,
so I have some good memories of the
place.” MP Guðrún Ögmundsdóttir.
Progressive Party:
“I won’t miss it at all. I believe the
departure of the base is a sign that
there’s security in our part of the
world.” MP Kristinn Gunnarsson.
Liberal Party:
“Maybe the feeling of security.”
Leftist-Green Party:
“(Laughs for a while) Absolutely
nothing. I look forward to the op-
portunity this gives us, and I’m
happy we’re free at last from this
stain. I just hope they’ll take the
pollution they’ve made with them.”
MP Kolbrún Halldórsdóttir.
Social Democratic Party:
“(Laughs) Nothing. I’m not going to
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