After attempts to reverse Iceland’s financial crisis since October last year, Reykjavik’s government has collapsed amid street protests from citizens who set fires and hold noise barrages with pots and saucepans. Having lost trust in government, angry Icelanders protest a mismanaged economy, worsening joblessness, and rising cost of goods.
Prime Minister Geir Haarde couldn’t quell the public’s disappointment after Iceland’s currency lost its value and banks failed that mirrored the financial troubles in Wall Street and many countries in Europe.
“The IMF announced in November it would pump about $827 million into the Icelandic economy immediately, with another $1.3 billion coming in eight installments. Iceland’s Nordic neighbors — the governments of Finland, Norway, Denmark and Sweden — announced they would lend Iceland another $2.5 billion.”—CNN.com/europe (01/25/09, Nyeberg, P)
Calling for an earlier election in May, Haarde, who had been afflicted with cancer, resigned and announced he wouldn’t run for another election. Fearing national bankruptcy, he dissolved the coalition government he headed— formed by the Social Democrat party and Independence party.
With the government’s future uncertain, the island-country’s figurehead President Olafur Ragnar Grimsson said he would consult with Iceland’s four main political parties before asking that an interim government is formed.
Similar economic and political troubles are happening in many parts of the world as well. Hard hit are the economies of the United States (USA) and Great Britain which have embarked on their respective financial remedies. The outlook of the crisis at this time is grim even if economic bail-out packages at the expense of taxpayers have been laid out. Nobody seems to know how and when the financial mess will end. Ordinary citizens are left confused and fearful of what next will happen. (Photo Credit: Nele en Jan; Jon Palma)=0=
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Ibalon 