Second Sif María Vilhjálmardattir cabinet

The **second Sif María Vilhjálmardattir cabinet** (Velkanian: *Annar Sif María Vilhjálmardattir skáp*) is the 20th and current government of the Velkanian Isles. The cabinet was sworn in on 13 March 2018, after Sif María Vilhjálmardattir was nominated by Ragnhildur II to serve as prime minister, and confirmed by the Orthing.

The government is supported by a coalition between the Liberal-Conservative Party, People's Party, and Reform Party after the Liberal-Conservatives won a plurality of seats in the 2018 election. This is the second government formed by Sif, following her first cabinet, which was a coalition between the Liberal-Conservatives and Centrists.

## History

### Background

Sif María Vilhjálmardattir was first elected leader of the Liberal-Conservative Party in 2013, and led the party for the first time into the 2014 election. Through a series of effective campaigning that targeted the youth and women, the party had their greatest seat increase in more than 30 years and won a plurality in the Orthing. Sif subsequently negotiated a coalition deal with the Centrist Party and became prime minister.

While in office, Sif implemented a number of socially liberal reforms, such as legalizing same-sex adoptions, loosening restrictions on abortion, introducing a number of tax benefits designed to assist young parents and students. Her cabinet received widespread media attention due to the median age being 36, leading to the Velkanian media to refer to it as the "youngest government in the world."

Sif led the party into her second election during the 2018 election. With the Social Democrats having dipped in polls due to transparency controversies, the Green-Socialist Party emerged as the Liberal-Conservatives' chief left-wing rivals. As a result, Sif adopted a number of environmentalist policies to the party platform.

### Formation

Following the 2018 election, the Liberal-Conservative Party won a plurality of seats, meaning that Sif María Vilhjálmardattir was highly likely to continue as prime minister. However, she would have to negotiate a completely new coalition agreement after the party's coalition partner the Centrist Party lost all of their seats. On 26 February 2018, Ragnhildur II entrusted Sif with forming a government.

Just prior to beginning her coalition building, Sif swore off any coalition agreement with the Green-Socialist Party or the Independence Party, calling them "divisive, polarizing, and not what the Liberal-Conservatives stand for." On 27 February, the media began reporting that Sif had opened up coalition talks with the People's Party and Reform Party. The following day, it was reported that should her preferred coalition deal fall through, she was open to having talks with the Social Democratic Party.

On 7 March, it was reported that a coalition agreement had been reached between the Liberal-Conservatives, People's Party, and Reform Party, and the news was confirmed by the three respective party leaders later that day. On 8 March, the three party leaders began discussing ministerial appointments. The second Sif María Vilhjálmardattir cabinet was later announced on 13 March, and they were sworn into office by Ragnhildur II later that day.

## Cabinet

Cabinet members are listed in an unofficial order of precedence, as decided by the head of government. Not including the prime minister, there are eleven ministerial positions; the Liberal-Conservatives hold six ministerial posts, the People's Party holds three ministerial posts, and the Reform Party holds two ministerial posts.