Sports facility dispute blamed for Suðurnesjabær coalition collapse

The D-list of the Independence Party and independents in Suðurnesjabær says disagreements over sports facilities led to the collapse of its governing coalition with the S-list of the Social Democratic Alliance and independents, mbl.is reports.

In a statement issued Monday, the D-list said it was concerning that Suðurnesjabær’s municipal council had “split for a second time because of the handling of sports facility issues”.

The D-list says the best way to bring the municipality’s two population centres together would be to build a multipurpose sports hall at Miðjan, between Sandgerði and Garður. Citing a Verkís report, it said the location would create the greatest balance between the centres and make the best long-term use of municipal funds.

The D-list said it had supported a joint proposal at a municipal executive committee meeting on September 9 in good faith, believing it would create balance between the centres. It soon became clear that was not the case, the statement said, and the party wanted to reconsider the decision. The subsequent events led to the coalition’s collapse because not everyone was willing to work through the situation, it added.

The party described the coalition, which lasted only a short time, as mostly “very positive and successful”. It urged elected representatives and residents not to let the situation deepen the divide between the two centres.

The statement did not address mbl.is reports that the breach of trust cited by the S-list involved Haraldur Helgason sounding out opposition council members about forming a new majority. mbl.is reported Sunday evening, citing sources, that the breach of trust could be traced to another member of the Independence Party list. Haraldur was second on the D-list in the spring election.

Haraldur declined to comment further when approached by mbl.is earlier Monday, referring to a statement that was due to be issued. D-list leader Haukur Andreasson, who is president of the municipal council, had also told the outlet that a statement was being prepared. The statement was signed by both men.

The S-list and D-list formed a majority after municipal elections in May. The S-list won three council seats and the D-list two, giving them five of the council’s nine seats. The S-list announced Sunday that it was ending the coalition, citing “a breach of trust in the cooperation that could not be overlooked”.