London: Halla Tomasdottir, a businesswoman and investor, has become the new president of Iceland after winning the Nordic nation island’s presidential election, emerging atop a crowded field of candidates in which the top three finishers were women. Tomasdottir defeated former Prime Minister Katrin Jakobsdottir after winning 34.3 per cent of the vote, according to local reports.
Tomasdottir, 55, campaigned above party politics and could help open discussions on fundamental issues such as the effect of social media on the mental health of young people, Iceland’s development as a tourist destination and the role of artificial intelligence. She will replace President Gudni Th. Johannesson, who did not seek re-election after two four-year terms. Tomasdottir will take office on August 1.
Who is Halla Tomasdottir?
Tomasdottir first rose to prominence during the financial crisis, when she was hailed as the co-founder of Audur Capital, one of the few Icelandic investment firms that survived the upheaval. She is currently on leave as chief executive of the B Team, a non-profit organization that works to promote workplace diversity and has offices in New York and London.
She also ran for president eight years ago when she came in second behind Johannesson. Tomasdottir was the previous head of Iceland's Chamber of Commerce and in 2007 founded financial services company Audur Capital, aiming to incorporate social responsibility and women's perspectives into finance. The 55-year-old will become the president of Iceland since the foundation of the republic in 1944.
Long history of women leaders
Iceland, a Nordic island nation with a population of 384,000 people, has a long tradition of electing women to high office. Vigdis Finbogadottir was the first democratically elected female president of any nation when she became Iceland’s head of state in 1980. Iceland has also been ranked the best country in the world for gender equality for the last 14 years, according to the World Economic Forum.
There also have been two female prime ministers in recent years, providing stability during years of political turmoil. Johanna Sigurdardottir led the government from 2009-2013, after the global financial crisis ravaged Iceland’s economy. Jakobsdottir became prime minister in 2017, leading a broad coalition that ended the cycle of crises that had triggered three elections in four years. She resigned in April to run for president.
(with inputs from agencies)
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