Iceland's PM: Government Has Collapsed

Iceland's PM: Government Has Collapsed

Iceland's prime minister says his ruling coalition has collapsed under pressure from the global financial crisis. Geir Haarde said he will speak to the president, Olafur Ragnar Grimsson, Monday in an effort to dissolve the government.

Mr. Haarde's government, a coalition featuring his Independence party and the Social Democratic Alliance, has been under mounting public pressure since the crisis hit the island-nation in October.

Last week, the prime minister, who suffers from cancer, called early national elections in May and said he would not run. At the time, analysts questioned whether the government could survive four more months.

The situation worsened Sunday, when Commerce Minister Bjorgvin Sigurdsson quit, citing his role in the economic collapse and growing public demands that the government resign immediately.

Sigurdsson acknowledged that Icelanders have lost faith in their government, and he said he wants to share in the responsibility for the economic collapse.

The meltdown forced the government last year to take control of three of the country's biggest banks.

Iceland also secured billions of dollars in assistance from the International Monetary Fund and other countries, to avert a collapse of its once-booming economy.

Some information for this report was provided by AP and Reuters.

VOA News


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