Half-brothers lead opposing sides in Reykjavík dispute

Half-brothers Kári and Róbert hold prominent positions representing opposing interests in a dispute over Reykjavík City’s cuts, Morgunblaðið reported.

Reykjavík City recently announced wide-ranging organisational changes followed by layoffs. More than half of the 86 people dismissed in the mass layoffs are members of Sameyki, an organisation chaired by Kári Sigurðsson.

Róbert Ragnarsson is a Reykjavík City councillor for Viðreisn and chairs the majority coalition’s efficiency group. The two men are maternal half-brothers and sons of Rósamunda Rúnarsdóttir. Róbert is nine years older than Kári.

Reykjavík City is the country’s largest workplace, with approximately 11,000 employees.

Asked by Morgunblaðið what it was like to sit on the opposite side of the table from his brother, Róbert said their roles did not create a problem.

“It is not really an issue. We are not actually sitting opposite each other. I am simply in my role and he is in his. It is somewhat like two dimensions. There is work, and then there are the brothers,” he said.

Róbert said the positions reflected the trust placed in both men.

“Kári is one of the country’s most experienced workers in running community centres and dealing with youth issues, and then he moved into this. He is now chairman of Sameyki and is doing it very well. I have been involved in local government for 20 years. So we know our roles,” he said.

Róbert, who previously served as mayor of Grindavík, added: “Our mother is naturally very happy with her sons.”

Kári said his brother remained part of the family and that they naturally spoke to each other, despite having very different views.

“People can have all kinds of views on life, political opinions and priorities in life. But we are in these roles and have different interests to protect. That is simply how things are in all other families in Iceland,” he said.