First Meeting for New Icelandic Cabinet
February 3rd, 2009 at 11:21 am - by admin
After the collapse of Iceland’s government late in January, the new Cabinet has been established and had it’s first meeting this morning.
The Social Democratic Alliance-Left Green Movement coalition, headed by Social Democrat Jóhanna Sigurdardóttir, the first female Prime Minister in Iceland, met this morning and held a short press briefing at the National Culture House.
Ten cabinet ministers have been chosen by the new coalition, including the non-MPs Gylfi Magnusson, Minister of Trade and Ragna Arnadottir, Minister for Justice and Ecclesiastical Affairs.
Prime Minister Jóhanna Sigurdardóttir introduced legislation to modify Iceland’s Central Bank, including an action to reduce the number of governors at the bank from three to just one. Additionally, Sigurdardóttir sent letters to all three of the current governors asking they step down to “restore confidence in the banking and economic management of the country,” according to Icelandic newspaper Morgunbladid, requesting that they respond to the request for resignation by Thursday.
“The government’s most important project is to restore faith in the country’s financial system. There are grounds for changing the Central Bank’s senior management,” Sigurdardóttir said.
