Sigmundur David Gunnlaugsson, Iceland prime minister, has tendered his resignation following the #PanamaPapers leak, which revealed details of his “shady” personal finances.
After the leaks showed how much Gunnlaugsson had tucked away in tax havens, there were street protests calling for his resignation.
Earlier, he told Iceland’s TV2 on Monday that he felt “betrayed and disappointed” by the accusations and wouldn’t step down.
“I have not considered resigning, nor am I going to resign because of this matter,” he had said.
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According to CNN, an estimated 10,000 demonstrators – a huge number considering the population – packed the streets Tuesday outside parliament in Reykjavik.
These crowd were supported by opposition lawmakers, who called for a vote of no confidence in the prime minister.
The Sigurdur Ingi Johannsson, the progressive party’s deputy leader and agriculture minister, later told a live broadcast: “The prime minister told (his party’s) parliamentary group meeting that he would step down as prime minister and I will take over,”
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The Panama documents leak, which indicts leaders from over 80 countries, has been in newspapers from around the world, implicating Nigerians such as Bukola Saraki, the senate president, and James Ibori, former governor of Delta state.
Iceland’s 41-year-old premier and his wife, who had investments placed in the British Virgin Islands, which included debt in Iceland’s three failed banks, prove to be the first casualty.
Gunnlaugsson becomes the second Icelandic premier to resign amid street protests, after Geir Haarde was forced out during the 2009 financial collapse.
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