Current Minister of Social Affairs and Social Security, Johanna Sigurdardottir, is to become the interim Prime Minister of Iceland until new elections are held (probably) in May this year. Social Democrat Sigurdardottir will lead the government in coalition with the Left-Green Movement after the preceeding PM, Geir H. Haarde, stepped down. Her new administration is to be sworn this Saturday.
“Now we need a strong government that works with the people,” she commented.
Uniquely among politicians these days, her popularity rose to 73% last November, Times Online reported opinion polls as revealing. The new PM is popular for granting generous funds to help the disabled, the elderly and organisations tackling domestic violence. She has also been recognised by many as a unifying character capable of solving tensions in Iceland.
She has many years of experience in Icelandic liberal politics, as she held the post of Minister of Social Affairs already between 1987-1994 before being reappointed in May 2007 and has been a memeber of Althing, the Icelandic Parliament, since 1978. Besides that, she is a very active member in the opposition.
„She holds no fancy foreign diplomas – she has a Commercial degree from the Commercial College of Iceland – nor extensive family or wealth connections like many Icelandic politicians, but has diligently worked her way up the political ladder through hard work and determination,“ commented Iris Erlingsdottir, an Icelandic writer, on The Huffington Post.
Johanna Sigurdardottir is the world’s first openly gay Prime Minister and the first female PM in Iceland’s history.
@Stan said
“10% of any population is gay”
WOW. Stan are you telling me 10% of men are sausage jockeys?
and 10% of women drink from the furry cup?
GET OVER IT !!!!
I GUESS SHE IS NOT THE FIRST GAY PERSON TO BE AT THE HEAD OR IN THE ICELANDIC GOVERN…. WE ALL FORGET THOSE IN THE CLOSET!!! HAHAHA
Ingibjörg Sólrún could not keep opportunistic factions in Social Democrats together to keep with coalition with Independence Party.
Feel sorry for her with this result.
Discussion continue here:
https://www.icenews.is/index.php/2009/02/01/new-icelandic-government-formed-2/
Answer: Yes, if she was the first heterosexual.
I see you’ve managed to point to the following sentence from the article as your source of the over-exposure of her being gay. All I can do is repeat that you seem to be fixated:
“Johanna Sigurdardottir is the world’s first openly gay Prime Minister and the first female PM in Iceland’s history.”
BROMLEY, IT was discussed in the article or I would not have been aware of it. Make Iceland the Gay Friendly country of the world! Question: if she was hetrosexual, would that have been mentioned? NO!
Well, stan, you’re the one with the fixation. No one was discussing it until you came along.
Whether you like it or not, it is a point of interest. Just as Maggie was the first female UK PM, Obama the first black president, Benazir the first female Pakistani president, Johanna is the first female Icelanic PM, etc.
Tell you what. You find a link to Johanna talking about her sex life. Can’t find one? Perhaps because she is too busy trying to fix the country?
10% of any population is gay and they love to talk about this. Why do they not go into more detail and chat about their sex life, as the country falls apart? Just fix he country!, whether you are gay, straight, bi, fem, butch etc . So, if I say I am gay and move to Iceland , will I get better treatment? Iceland is now a gay retreat?
I care if she is gay because it is now a day for celebration! I am now proud to say that there is a gay head of state in the world!
I was the first couple to be married in New Paltz NY almost 5 years ago this is a great time for equality; First Obama as US President and now Sigurdardottir!
thank God for this new year!
BvR
>Why do people care if she or he is gay or not?
It might not mean anything to you but, as we’ve seen with Obama, it can be very uplifting for people who feel that they’ve traditionally been discriminated against.
The article only mentions it as a fact at the end rather than as a main discussion peace.
Gay? Why do people care if she or he is gay or not? why do people insist on discussing their sex life with everyone else? How, in any way, will this help them be a better politician? Why not go all the way with this politically correct crap and find a gay disabled black woman to be your president.
When is she getting sworn in? What time Saturday?
>What the people of Iceland should do is overthrow their corrupt capitalist government and run society in the interest of everyone for a change under democratic workers and users control of the banks, natural resources and economy.
Peter, 1970s are over. Also did you know that the Soviert Union passed away a few years ago. But perhaps you move to Belarus?
Might find government there to you liking on lines you are talking about.
>Yet we can avoid these massive joblosses, tax increases and public service cuts by simply taking control of society democratically, in the interest of all, by seizing the means of production from the capitalists who are currently laughing all the way to their Mediterranian yachts.
You mean democracy as in by mobs taking control by force bypassing police and courts?
>Up the workers of Iceland! You have nothing to lose but their debts!
Socialism tried in Iceland 1980s. Did not go quite as well as hoped.
What the people of Iceland should do is overthrow their corrupt capitalist government and run society in the interest of everyone for a change under democratic workers and users control of the banks, natural resources and economy.
Capitalism and the neo-liberial left and right have screwed Iceland up. Iceland needs a revolution and quickly. The Left-Greens will fail you if they win the election. They’re already making massive concessions over the IMF loan which will mean increasing taxes and cutting public services. The Left-Greens are dumping the national debt onto the shoulders of every Icelander while leaving the banks and those who caused this crisis to escape without any punishment. Living in Britain, I’m fuming that that same thing is happening here and could get to the extent it has in Iceland. Yet we can avoid these massive joblosses, tax increases and public service cuts by simply taking control of society democratically, in the interest of all, by seizing the means of production from the capitalists who are currently laughing all the way to their Mediterranian yachts.
Up the workers of Iceland! You have nothing to lose but their debts!
Paolo – After Iceland is “born again”, it just may be important whether the government is left-wing or right-wing. As just one example, I bet the minke whales will care!
It is absolutely not important if in the future the icelandic Governement will be ”left” or ”right”:
the essential is that Iceland will ”born again” in a very shortly time!