Iceland Elects Halla Tomasdottir as President

In the previous election, almost five weeks ago, Iceland has voted for a new president and a businesswoman, Halla Tomasdottir won the seat, leaving the post of Gudni Th. Johannesson who decided not to run for a third term following two terms of four years tenure each. Out of all the candidates of the competition Tomasdottir seemed to be the most fortunate and she received 34. 3% of the people’s vote. She was able to triumph over; the former Prime Minister Katrin Jakobsdottir garnered 25. 2 percent and Halla Hrund Logadottir, who also garnered 15. 5 percent.

Tomasdottir, 55, made her campaign based on the fact she had no affiliation to the political parties and stressed on her goal of striving for the solutions of major problems like effect of social media on the youth’s depression, tourism in Iceland, and AI’s role and impact. Mary is expected to start her term on August 1.

This country can boast of its history, as far as women representatives in the higher government posts are concerned. The tradition of the country started with Vigdis Finnbogadottir, who in 1980 became the first elected female president at the age of fifty years. In more modern Iceland, they even had two female prime ministers. Johanna Sigurdardottir is one prime minister of Iceland who served the country from 2009 to 2013 that ensured the stability of the nation after the financial crisis which hit the globe adversely.

Before that, Tomasdottir became known after the financial crises due to her position in Audur Capital being one of the few Icelandic investment firms still afloat during that time. She is on leave from the B Team, a non profit workplace diversity advocacy group that has a headquarters in New York and London and is employed as the organisation’s CEO.