#ICELAND: Parliament Extends Parental Leave To 12 Months

[world politics news]

Iceland's Parliament has passed legislation extending parental leave to twelve months. Prime Minister Katrín Jakobsdóttir discussed the new law on Facebook, saying that it was a huge step forward for Icelandic families, and also an important step toward greater equality. Parental leave laws in effect today were passed in 2000, when Parliament extended the leave from six months to nine in three phases, she wrote. "Another twenty years passed without any extension, or until the time of our current government." Both fathers and mothers are entitled to paid family leave, under the new and the old laws.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#ICELAND: Legislature Allows Temporary Licences To Salmon Farms Amid Concerns Of Conservationists, Fishermen

[world politics news]

Responding to conservationists and anglers alike, the Icelandic Parliament, the Althingi, has passed emergency legislation granting temporary permits to two salmon farms, but requiring them to comply with environmental regulations before they become permanent.

Ministers within the government have expressed concern that the farms could cause massive job losses among fishermen. And conservationists say that the salmon farms could harm the environment if salmon escape into Iceland's rivers, pollution around the salmon pens, causing the rise of infectious diseases and lice infestations.

[FULL STORY HERE AND HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#ICELAND: Parties Walk Out Of Speech Given By Danish Parliament Speaker, Member Of Danish Anti-Immigrant Party

[world politics news]

Members of the Social Democratic and Pirate Parties walked out and boycotted a speech given to members of the Icelandic Parliament by the speaker of the Danish Parliament, on the anniversary of Iceland's independence from Denmark. Members said they were protesting the views of Pia Kjærsgaard, the former leader of the populist anti-immigration Danish People’s Party. Kkærsgaard gave the speech at the Thingvellir, a historic site and national park near Reykjavik that was the location of Iceland’s Althing parliament from the 10th to the 18th centuries. Iceland switched from home rule to full independence from Denmark in 1918.

[FULL STORY HERE]

#ICELAND: Proposal To Ban Circumcision Rite Has Jewish Groups Raising Religious Freedom Concerns

[world politics news]

Jewish groups have strongly criticized a move by five different groups in the Icelandic parliament parliament to ban circumcision. They have warned the proposed ban would make Iceland one of the only countries in the world 'to ban one of the most central, if not the most central rite in the Jewish tradition in modern times.' The proposal to prohibit circumcision  has been put forward by Progressive Party MP Silja Dogg Gunnarsdottir and is backed by several other Icelandic politicians.

[FULL STORY HERE]

#ICELAND: Four-Party Coalition Talks Break Down

[world politics news]

The center-left government coalition talks that begun on Friday have been abandoned. The formal talks were initiated on after the leaders of the Progressive Party, the Left-Green Movement, the Social Democratic Alliance and the Pirate Party agreed to make an attempt to form a majority government following the October 28 general elections. According to our sources, the Progressive Party decided to abandon the talks due to the small majority in parliament. The four party coalition would have had 32 MPs in Iceland’s 63 member parliament, the smallest possible majority.

[FULL STORY HERE]

#ICELAND: Gov't Coalition Loses Ground, New Parties Enter Parliament

[world politics news]

Parties that made up the right-of-center coalition government have lost majority in Iceland’s parliament. The incumbent coalition government had the slimmest possible majority, or just 32 seats in Iceland’s 63 seat parliament. The Prime Minister’s Independence Party lost four of its 21 seats, but retains its position as Iceland’s largest political party with 26.8%. The other two coalition partners lost seats. The Restoration Party has currently received 6.7% of the votes, compared to 10.5% last year. The third coalition Partner, Bright Future, got 1% and lost all its parliamentary seats. The Center Party, a new political party founded by former Prime Minister and Progressive Party leader just weeks before the elections, is coming in with 11% of the votes

[FULL STORY HERE]

Pictured: Former Prime Minister Sigmundur Davíð Gunnlaugsson has made a comeback with his new Center Party. Incumbent Prime Minister Bjarni Benediktsson, leader of the Independence Party in the background.

#ICELAND: Gov't Will Introduce Legislation Requiring Businesses To Prove Equal Pay For Women

[world politics news]

Iceland will be the first country in the world to make employers prove they offer equal pay regardless of gender, ethnicity, sexuality or nationality, the Nordic nation’s government said Wednesday — International Women’s Day. The government said it will introduce legislation to parliament this month, requiring all employers with more than 25 staff members to obtain certification to prove they give equal pay for work of equal value.

[FULL STORY HERE]

#ICELAND: President Clarifies Stand On Banning Pineapple As A Pizza Topping

[world politics news]

Faced with uproar at home and a social media storm abroad, the president of Iceland has been forced to clarify his outspoken stance on one of the defining questions of the age: whether pineapple should be allowed on pizza. Guðni Jóhannesson had expressed dislike of tropical fruit on pizza during an appearance at a school, but now says he is glad he does not have power to initiate ban, and admits that he prefers seafood on pizza.

[FULL STORY HERE]

#ICELAND: Pirate Party Triples Seats, But Falls Short Of A Majority

[world politics news]

Iceland's pro-transparency Pirate Party, founded just four years ago, has tripled its seats in parliament in this weekend's election, but fell short of a majority needed to for a government on its own. It may now seek to form a coalition with Left-leaning parties. It is in joint second place with the Left-Greens - with 10 seats each. Progressive Party Prime Minister Sigurdur Ingi Johannsson resigned Sunday after the election results came in.

[FULL STORY HERE]

#ICELAND: Gov't Survives No-Confidence Vote, But Anger Persists Over Panama Papers Revelations

[world politics news]

The ruling Progressive and Independence parties have easily shrugged off opposition efforts in parliament to topple the government and force immediate elections, defeating a no-confidence motion by 38 votes to 25. But demonstrators protesting former Prime Minister Gunnlaugsson's off-shore accounts are keeping up pressure on the government, which continues to defend him.

#ICELAND: PM Resigns After "Panama Papers" Reveal Secret Accounts

[world politics news]

Prime Minister Sigmundur David Gunnlaugsson resigned Tuesday amid reports that he and his wife set up an offshore company with the help of a Panamanian law firm at the center of a massive tax evasion leak, representing the first world leader to step down in the Panama Papers scandal. Gunnlaugsson denies doing anything illegal and says he paid all taxes. Opponents say his company, set up in the British Virgin Islands, represents a severe conflict of interest because it held investments in failed Icelandic banks his government was responsible for overseeing.

#ICELAND: Reykjavik Pulls Plug On Israeli Boycott After Outcry

[world politics news]

The mayor of Iceland's capital Reykjavik says he would scrap plans for a boycott of Israeli goods, a proposal that had raised outrage in Israel and among American Jewish groups. Reykjavik's left-leaning council had earlier approved a motion to halt the city's purchase of Israeli products until the occupation of the Palestinian territories ends.

#EUROPE: Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Sweden Form Nordic Military Partnership

[world politics news]

Four Nordic nations will expand military cooperation in response to "aggressive Russian behavior" in the region. The new strategy will include joint exercises, exchange of intelligence information and industrial cooperation. It will maintain "NATO standards" even though Sweden and Finland are not members of NATO.

Pictured: Swedish Defence Minister Peter Hultqvist

#CANADA: #Quebec Premier Blasted for Speaking English Only At Iceland Economic Summit

[world politics news]

At an Arctic Circle Assembly in Reykjavik, Iceland last week, Quebec Premier Philippe Couillard spoke in English, rather than French, as did other attendees. But back home, he was attacked for not speaking French. Couillard challenged one critic to, "go to the London and New York financial circles and pitch your remarkable economic plan - in French only. Let’s see how that goes."

ICELAND: All Rookie Team Takes the Helm as Ministers Today [world politics news]

For the first time since 1944, when Iceland became a fully-independent republic, none of the ministers taking office today have ever before held office at the cabinet level. Davíð Gunnlaugsson of the Independence Party becomes Prime Minister. Members from his party and the Progressive Party will form the new cabinet.

ICELAND: Anti-EU Center-Right Returns to Power; Ruling Party Comes in Third [world politics news]

ICELAND: Anti-EU Center-Right Leads in Vote Count [world politics news]

ICELAND: New Parties Rise in Latest Poll Ahead of April 27 Election [world politics news]

ICELAND: Parliament Fails to Pass "Crowd-Sourced" Constitution before Dissolving [world politics news]

ICELAND: Newly Formed "Bright Future Party" Second Largest, Says Poll [world politics news]