Icelandic government responsible for current situation, says opposition leader

The leader of Iceland’s opposition Progressive Party has stated that the current government bears full responsibility for the country’s ongoing political and economic challenges, national broadcaster RÚV reports.

Sigurður Ingi Jóhannsson, chair of the Progressive Party, criticised the ruling coalition for failing to address key issues, including inflation, housing shortages, and public service strains. He argued that mismanagement and lack of decisive action had worsened conditions for households and businesses.

The comments follow recent protests in Reykjavík, where demonstrators called for immediate policy changes to ease cost-of-living pressures. The government has yet to respond directly to the opposition’s claims.

Iceland’s coalition government, led by Prime Minister Katrín Jakobsdóttir, has faced growing criticism over its handling of economic recovery post-pandemic, with inflation reaching 9.6% in December—among the highest in the Nordic region.