VG warns government and Reykjavik policies threaten public services

The Left-Green Movement (VG) has warned that government and Reykjavik city policies are putting public services at risk, according to mbl.is. Party chair Rósa Björk Brynjólfsdóttir spoke after the movement’s party council meeting over the weekend.

Despite claims of responsible economic management and improved living standards, the government is pursuing austerity, cuts and reductions in public services, Rósa said. She argued that instead of using fiscal policy to combat unemployment, protect workers’ rights and reduce inequality, the government was cutting investment in essential infrastructure, the social safety net and environmental issues.

With the economy cooling and unemployment persisting, the government is reducing public-sector activity and laying off staff, she said. Such policies could deepen the economic downturn, reduce job security and weaken the social infrastructure needed for prosperity and value creation.

The party council also strongly condemned cuts and layoffs by Reykjavik city’s right-wing majority, criticising what it called attacks on essential services, plans to outsource them and the sale of publicly owned infrastructure. VG supports public-sector employees, Rósa said, adding that citizens’ well-being and security depend on high-quality services from national and local government.

Asked whether the meeting had proposed limiting meat consumption, Rósa said its contribution to greenhouse gas emissions and public health had been overlooked, as reflected in the Nordic Nutrition Recommendations from 2023. She said authorities should develop a policy to reduce meat consumption and make plant-based diets easier to choose, including by strengthening domestic production.

Rósa also called for Landsvirkjun to be protected and urged the finance minister to respect parliament and give it a truthful account of the company’s board and management.