Þórdís Kolbrún R. Gylfadóttir Explained

Þórdís Kolbrún R. Gylfadóttir
Office2:Minister for Finance and Economic Affairs
Primeminister2:Katrín Jakobsdóttir
Term Start2:14 October 2023
Term End2:9 April 2024
Predecessor2:Bjarni Benediktsson
Successor2:Sigurður Ingi Jóhannsson
Office:Minister for Foreign Affairs
Primeminister:Bjarni Benediktsson
Predecessor:Bjarni Benediktsson
Term Start:9 April 2024
Predecessor1:Guðlaugur Þór Þórðarson
Primeminister1:Katrín Jakobsdóttir
Successor1:Bjarni Benediktsson
Term Start1:28 November 2021
Term End1:14 October 2023
Party:Independence Party
Office3:Minister of Tourism, Industry and Innovation
Primeminister3:Bjarni Benediktsson
Katrín Jakobsdóttir
Term Start3:11 January 2017
Term End3:28 November 2021
Office4:President of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe
Term Start4:24 November 2022
Term End4:17 May 2023
Predecessor4:Simon Coveney
Successor4:Edgars Rinkēvičs
Office5:Minister of Justice
Predecessor5:Sigríður Á. Andersen
Primeminister5:Katrín Jakobsdóttir
Successor5:Áslaug Arna Sigurbjörnsdóttir
Term Start5:14 March 2019
Term End5:5 September 2019
Birth Date:4 November 1987
Birth Place:Akranes, Iceland
Spouse:Hjalti Sigvaldason Mogensen
Alma Mater:Reykjavík 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 done so between 2021 and 2023. She also served as finance minister between 2023 and 2024.

Political career

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, 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]

Recognition

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.[9]

External links

|-

Notes and References

  1. Tim Moore (8 March 2017), Iceland’s tourism boom — and backlash Financial Times.
  2. Web site: Nýkjörin forysta Sjálfstæðisflokksins Sjálfstæðisflokkurinn. Ingvar. xd.is. 18 March 2018 . en-US. 2018-03-25.
  3. Web site: Stjórnarráðið Ferðamála-, iðnaðar- og nýsköpunarráðherra. www.stjornarradid.is. is. 2018-03-25.
  4. News: Yngsta konan til að gegna ráðherraembætti: Ekki markmið að verða ráðherra fyrir þrítugt - Vísir. visir.is. 2018-03-25.
  5. https://www.coe.int/en/web/congress/icelandic-presidency-of-the-council-of-europe-committee-of-ministers Icelandic Presidency of the Council of Europe Committee of Ministers
  6. Web site: Iceland is the first country in Europe to close its embassy in Russia . Civil Today . 3 August 2023 . 29 January 2024.
  7. Web site: Bjarni verður utanríkisráðherra og Þórdís fjármálaráðherra . . 14 October 2023 . 23 October 2023 . is.
  8. Web site: Bjarni Benediktsson tekinn við forsætisráðuneytinu . . 9 April 2024 . 23 April 2024 . is.
  9. Web site: 2023-08-13 . Святлана Ціханоўская ўзнагародзіла прэзідэнтку Еўрапарламента Крыжам добрасуседства / Афіцыйны сайт Святланы Ціханоўскай . 2023-09-15 . tsikhanouskaya.org . be.