Iceland’s Left-Green Party suspends talks about a coalition government

STOCKHOLM (Reuters) – Iceland’s left-Green Party has suspended talks with four other parties about forming a coalition government, the movement’s leader said on Wednesday, after disagreements over funding for health care and education, among other issues. Katrin Jakobsdottir told the Visir news site that she had not yet decided whether she would give up trying to form a new government by returning the mandate given to her by the Icelandic president. After the talks, which sought to resolve differences over how to increase spending on social welfare and education and other issues, Jakobsdottir told Icelandic television that “not all parties… have the necessary conviction to have these talks “That is why I have decided that these talks are over.” The five parties – the Left-Green Movement, the Pirate Party, Bright Future, the Reform Party and the Social Democratic Alliance – were in discussions after the The centre-right Independence Party failed to form a government after the October election. The Left-Greens want to increase taxes to finance social welfare and education. The Independence Party was the largest after the vote on October 29th the Left-Green Party, which according to surveys could upset the traditional political order, came in third place. Pirate Party leader Birgitta Jonsdottir told Icelandic television she would try to form a government if Iceland’s president asked her to do so. “But then we have to find a different path than the one we are facing now, because none of these parties seem to be able to work together,” she said. (Reporting by Stockholm Newsroom; Editing by Alison Williams)