Pirate Party-led government talks sink in Iceland

Published December 13, 2016

Birgitta Jonsdottir of the Pirater (Pirate) Party addresses the media during a conference in Reykjavik, Iceland, Sunday, Oct. 30, 2016. No party emerged Sunday with a clear mandate to form a government from Saturday's election, with the Pirate Party placed third, behind the Independence Party and the Left-Green movement. (AP Photo/Frank Augstein) (The Associated Press)

Iceland's anti-authoritarian Pirate Party says it has struck out in attempts to form a center-left government — the third failed round of coalition talks since an election six weeks ago.

Senior Pirate lawmaker Birgitta Jonsdottir says "it's with great sadness that I have to report that we failed" to forge a coalition with four other parties.

The Pirates, who seek direct democracy and digital freedom, came third in Iceland's Oct. 29 parliamentary election.

No party won an outright majority, and President Gudni Johannesson asked the first-placed Independence Party and then the second-placed Left-Greens to try to assemble a coalition. Both failed, so the Pirates were given a chance.

Jonsdottir said on Facebook on Tuesday that the parties had "agreed on so many fundamental issues," but stalled on key topics.

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https://www.foxnews.com/world/pirate-party-led-government-talks-sink-in-iceland