Iceland Elects Businesswoman Halla Tomasdottir As President: Know About Her

Halla Tomasdottir, a businesswoman and investor, has won Iceland's presidential election, defeating a strong field that included three women, according to the country's official broadcaster.Tomasdottir, 55, won the largely ceremonial role with 34.3 percent of the vote, defeating former Prime Minister Katrin Jakobsdottir (25.2 percent) and Halla Hrund Logadottir (15.5 percent), according to RUV on Sunday.

She follows in the footsteps of Vigdis Finnbogadottir, the world's first democratically elected female president in 1980, as only the second woman to hold Iceland's highest office. In Iceland's parliamentary republic, the president serves mostly as a ceremonial figurehead, ensuring the constitution and national unity. He or she, however, has the authority to veto legislation or put it to a referendum.

Tomasdottir is now on leave as CEO of The B Team, a global organisation co-founded by UK business billionaire Richard Branson to promote business practices that prioritise humanity and the environment, with offices in New York and London.

Record Voter Turnout

Tomasdottir won the primarily ceremonial post with 34.3% of the vote, defeating former Prime Minister Katrin Jakobsdottir (25.2%) and Halla Hrund Logadottir (15.5%), according to RUV. Tomasdottir, 55, campaigned as someone who was beyond party politics and could help spark debate on pressing issues such as the impact of social media on young people's mental health, Iceland's development as a tourist destination, and the role of AI.

Throughout her campaign, Tomasdottir stated, "I only see one team in Iceland, and that's Icelanders." She told Iceland Review, "[We] can make Bessastadir the home for our national compass." Notably, Bessastadir is the official residence of Iceland's president.

On Saturday, Iceland's departing President Guani Johannesson, who defeated Halla in 2016, stated that her message had been warmly received by voters as the presidential election saw a remarkable 78.83% voter turnout, breaking previous records and indicating extensive civic involvement. 

Iceland's Second Female President

Iceland, a Nordic island nation situated in the North Atlantic, has a long history of electing women to high office. When Vigdis Finnbogadottir became Iceland's first democratically elected female president in 1980, she made history.

In recent years, the country has had two female prime ministers, bringing stability during years of political turbulence. Johanna Sigurdardottir led the government from 2009 to 2013, following the global financial crisis that wrecked Iceland's economy. Jakobsdottir, 48, became prime minister in 2017, leading a broad coalition to break the cycle of crises that had resulted in three elections in four years. She resigned in April to run for president. In a country of 380,000 people, any individual who secures 1,500 signatures can run for government. While Jakobsdottir was occasionally seen as the favourite, political observers believed that her experience as prime minister could work against her.

Tomasdottir will succeed President Guani Johannesson, who did not seek reelection after two four-year mandates. She will take office on August 1. Notably, the President of Iceland has limited political powers, according to the Iceland Review. However, he performs all ceremonial obligations and is seen as having a substantial effect on Icelandic society.