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Þórdís Kolbrún R. Gylfadóttir

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Þórdís Kolbrún R. Gylfadóttir
Þórdís in 2024
Minister for Foreign Affairs
Assumed office
9 April 2024
Prime MinisterBjarni Benediktsson
Preceded byBjarni Benediktsson
In office
28 November 2021 – 14 October 2023
Prime MinisterKatrín Jakobsdóttir
Preceded byGuðlaugur Þór Þórðarson
Succeeded byBjarni Benediktsson
Minister for Finance and Economic Affairs
In office
14 October 2023 – 9 April 2024
Prime MinisterKatrín Jakobsdóttir
Preceded byBjarni Benediktsson
Succeeded bySigurður Ingi Jóhannsson
Minister of Tourism, Industry and Innovation
In office
11 January 2017 – 28 November 2021
Prime MinisterBjarni Benediktsson
Katrín Jakobsdóttir
Preceded byRagnheiður Elín Árnadóttir (Minister of Industry and Commerce)
Succeeded byÁslaug Arna Sigurbjörnsdóttir (Minister of Science, Industry and Innovation)
President of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe
In office
24 November 2022 – 17 May 2023
Preceded bySimon Coveney
Succeeded byEdgars Rinkēvičs
Minister of Justice
In office
14 March 2019 – 5 September 2019
Prime MinisterKatrín Jakobsdóttir
Preceded bySigríður Á. Andersen
Succeeded byÁslaug Arna Sigurbjörnsdóttir
Member of the Althing
Assumed office
29 October 2016
ConstituencyNorthwest (2016–2024)
Southwest (2024–)
Personal details
Born (1987-11-04) 4 November 1987 (age 37)
Akranes, Iceland
Political partyIndependence Party
SpouseHjalti Sigvaldason Mogensen
Children2
Alma materReykjavík University

Þórdís Kolbrún Reykfjörð Gylfadóttir (born 4 November 1987) is an Icelandic lawyer[1] and politician of the Independence Party who has served as the minister of foreign affairs since 2024, having previously held the portfolio from 2021 to 2023. She also served as finance minister from 2023 to 2024 and tourism and industry minister from 2017 to 2021.

Political career

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Þórdís has been a member of the Althing (Iceland's parliament) for the Northwest Constituency since 2016, as a representative of the Independence Party. Since 2018, she has been the party's vice-chair.[2]

Þórdís has previously held the positions of Minister for Foreign Affairs, Minister of Tourism, Industry and Innovation,[1] and Minister of Justice.[3] At the age of 29, she became the youngest woman to become an Icelandic Minister.[4]

During her time as Minister of Foreign Affairs, Þórdís held the rotating chairmanship of the Council of Europe's Committee of Ministers from November 2022 to May 2023.[5] In July 2023, she announced that Iceland would suspend it's embassy in Moscow due to not meeting the priorities of the country's foreign service in its current state. She added that the suspension didn't mean they would be cutting diplomatic relations with Russia.[6]

On 14 October 2023, she was appointed minister of finance and economic affairs in a minor reshuffle following Bjarni Benediktsson's resignation.[7]

On 9 April 2024, she was reappointed as minister of Foreign affairs after Bjarni Benediktsson succeeded Katrín Jakobsdóttir when the latter decided to run in the 2024 presidential election.[8]

She and her Nordic counterparts signed a joint letter in late October condemning Israel's planned bill that would seek to ban the UNRWA from operating in the country and in effect the Palestinian areas. Furthermore, they urged the Knesset to reconsider passing the bill.[9]

Recognition

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In 2023 Þórdís received the Cross of Good Neighbourhood from Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya. The distinction is awarded by the Belarusian United Transitional Cabinet to outstanding individuals who have significantly helped the cause of Belarusians.[10]

References

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  1. ^ a b Tim Moore (8 March 2017), Iceland’s tourism boom — and backlash Financial Times.
  2. ^ Ingvar (18 March 2018). "Nýkjörin forysta Sjálfstæðisflokksins | Sjálfstæðisflokkurinn". xd.is. Retrieved 2018-03-25.
  3. ^ "Stjórnarráðið | Ferðamála-, iðnaðar- og nýsköpunarráðherra". www.stjornarradid.is (in Icelandic). Retrieved 2018-03-25.
  4. ^ "Yngsta konan til að gegna ráðherraembætti: Ekki markmið að verða ráðherra fyrir þrítugt - Vísir". visir.is. Retrieved 2018-03-25.
  5. ^ Icelandic Presidency of the Council of Europe Committee of Ministers Council of Europe, press release of November 2022.
  6. ^ "Iceland is the first country in Europe to close its embassy in Russia". Civil Today. 3 August 2023. Retrieved 29 January 2024.
  7. ^ "Bjarni verður utanríkisráðherra og Þórdís fjármálaráðherra" (in Icelandic). RÚV. 14 October 2023. Retrieved 23 October 2023.
  8. ^ "Bjarni Benediktsson tekinn við forsætisráðuneytinu" (in Icelandic). RÚV. 9 April 2024. Retrieved 23 April 2024.
  9. ^ "Nordic statement on the draft legal bills in the Knesset related to UNRWA". government.no. 23 October 2024. Retrieved 28 October 2024.
  10. ^ "Святлана Ціханоўская ўзнагародзіла прэзідэнтку Еўрапарламента Крыжам добрасуседства / Афіцыйны сайт Святланы Ціханоўскай". tsikhanouskaya.org (in Belarusian). 2023-08-13. Retrieved 2023-09-15.
[edit]
Party political offices
Preceded by Vice-Chairman of the Independence Party
2018–present
Incumbent
Political offices
Preceded byas Minister of Industry and Commerce Minister of Tourism, Industry and Innovation
2017–2021
Succeeded byas Minister of Science, Industry and Innovation
Preceded by Minister of Justice
2019
Succeeded by
Preceded by Minister for Foreign Affairs
2021–2023
Succeeded by
Preceded by Minister for Finance and Economic Affairs
2023–2024
Succeeded by
Preceded by Minister for Foreign Affairs
2024–present
Incumbent