Halla Tomasdottir has been elected as Iceland's new president, winning the June 2024 election with 34.3% of the popular vote. The 55-year-old businesswoman and political independent defeated a crowded field to succeed President Gudni Th. Johannesson, who chose not to seek a third consecutive four-year term.
Election Results
Tomasdottir's nearest rival was former Prime Minister Katrin Jakobsdottir, who secured 25.2% of the vote. Halla Hrund Logadottir came in third with 15.5%. Notably, all three leading candidates were women — a reflection of Iceland's long track record of gender-inclusive leadership.
An Independent Voice on AI, Tourism, and Youth
Running without party affiliation, Tomasdottir built her campaign around three central issues: the effect of social media on youth mental health, the management of Iceland's booming tourism industry, and the growing role of artificial intelligence in society. She positioned herself as a candidate above partisan politics, focused on practical solutions to challenges facing modern Iceland.
She is expected to bring that same ethos to the largely ceremonial but symbolically significant presidency, which retains the power to veto legislation and call referendums.
Background: Audur Capital and The B Team
Tomasdottir gained international recognition during Iceland's 2008 financial crisis through her role at Audur Capital, an investment firm she co-founded that was one of the few Icelandic financial institutions to emerge largely intact from the collapse. The firm was distinguished by its focus on sustainable, responsible investment.
Before running for president, she served as CEO of The B Team — a global nonprofit co-founded by Richard Branson that advocates for sustainable and inclusive business practices, with offices in New York and London. She took leave from the role to contest the election.
Iceland's Legacy of Female Leadership
Iceland has a well-established history of electing women to its highest offices. Vigdis Finnbogadottir made history in 1980 as the world's first woman to be democratically elected as a head of state. More recently, Johanna Sigurdardottir served as Prime Minister from 2009 to 2013, steering the country through the aftermath of the global financial crisis.
Tomasdottir becomes only the second woman to hold Iceland's presidency, taking office on August 1, 2024.
