One should not underestimate the political crisis in Iceland.
Earlier this week, a Social Democrats insider Andres Jonsson pleaded to the “moderate section” of Independence Party to meet them on the issue of the EU.
It is understandable that some of the Social Dems should cast their glance to the right. It is not far off politically from their own position and they probably believe that it is easier to get things done with “moderate” Independence Party members than with the “wild left” of the Left Greens. Planned shake ups in the government indicate that room has to be made for Ogmundur Jonasson. With Iceland a political and economic china shop, the Social Dems are obviously hesitant to let that bull in.
The trouble is that the “moderate section” of the Independence Party is still as paralysed as the Left Greens and the Centre Party as far as reform within their own party goes. Only a few elders and a couple of “unruly” members have yet to stand up to the corruption and xenophobia which David Oddson and co. have installed in their ranks. The so-called moderates are in some cases badly damaged themselves, like former minister Thorgerdur Katrin Gunnarsdottir or stuck there through emotional, social and nepotist ties like Benedikt Johannesson and Thorsteinn Palsson.
Letting the Independence Party in without a serious clean up instigated by members of the party would be a big mistake. Reykjavik city mayor Jon Gnarr of the Best Party has now explained why. He ran on a novel platform where all the “animals in the forest were supposed to be friends” and offered an olive branch to Hanna Birna Kristjansdottir, the Independence Party leader by including the opposition party on a scale never before seen.
Last night in the “Mayor’s Diary” on Facebook, Jon Gnarr wrote: “I feel like I am naive, can not handle this or do this in a beautiful way. I doubt that I can work with the Independence Party. I feel like I am showing humility, but all I get in return is hot shot arrogance or lack of interest. Should I also stop smiling or keep trying to make friends with these people who do not respect me or what we are trying to achieve.”
People who think anything different would happen with the Independence Party in a coalition government are more naive than Jon Gnarr. Besides, have the other parties not learned anything from the past twenty years? The original Social Democratic Party became a deflated balloon after being in cohort with David Oddson from 1991-1995. The Centre Party used to be able to claim half and half of the corruption spoils with the Independence Party and scored around the thirties a decade ago but is so badly damaged that it can hardly claim a tenth today. The Social Democrats were seen as the antithesis to the Independence Party until 2007, when it became too impatient to wait anymore for its place at the power tables and joined hands. Imagine the clout the Social Democrats would have had in the clean up after 2008 if Ingibjorg Solrun Gisladottir had refused Geir Haarde’s kiss of death?
Bad things happen when good people let the Independence Party assume power. Jon Gnarr is not a politician by trade, which is encouraging in these times. But the tension between the Social Democrats and the Left Greens could inadvertently open the door for the unreformed Independence Party.
Some people still fail to see the difference between affectionate word and kisses of death.
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August 27th, 2010 → 9:36 am @ Dadi
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