Ingibjörg Sólrún Gísladóttir
Encyclopedia
Ingibjörg Sólrún Gísladóttir (born 31 December 1954) is an Iceland
ic politician from the Social Democratic Alliance, formerly Minister for Foreign Affairs 2007–2009 and leader of the Alliance 2005–2009.
Ingibjörg J. Níelsdóttir (born 23 February 1918).
She received her bachelor's degree
in history and literature from the University of Iceland
in 1979. Then she went to Denmark
to study as a guest student at the University of Copenhagen
. In 1981 she came back to Iceland where she graduated as a cand.mag.
in history from University of Iceland
in 1983.
(Iceland's parliament). She was appointed foreign minister
on 24 May 2007.
Ingibjörg Sólrún started her political career in the Women's List
(Samtök um kvennalista), a party she represented in Reykjavík's City Council from 1982 to 1988. She also represented the party in Parliament from 1991 to 1994.
She became Mayor of Reykjavík
in 1994 when she led a coalition of four political parties called Reykjavíkurlistinn, winning the elections. She was the city's Mayor until 2003.
In 2005 Ingibjörg Sólrún became the leader of the Alliance after a sharply contested election between her and the previous party leader Össur Skarphéðinsson
.
Iceland
Iceland , described as the Republic of Iceland, is a Nordic and European island country in the North Atlantic Ocean, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Iceland also refers to the main island of the country, which contains almost all the population and almost all the land area. The country has a population...
ic politician from the Social Democratic Alliance, formerly Minister for Foreign Affairs 2007–2009 and leader of the Alliance 2005–2009.
Education
Ingibjörg Sólrún Gísladóttir was born in Reykjavík on 31 December 1954, the daughter of salesman Gísli Gíslason (born 30 November 1916, died 23 October 2006) and homemakerHomemaker
Homemaking is a mainly American term for the management of a home, otherwise known as housework, housekeeping or household management...
Ingibjörg J. Níelsdóttir (born 23 February 1918).
She received her bachelor's degree
Bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
in history and literature from the University of Iceland
University of Iceland
The University of Iceland is a public research university in Reykjavík, Iceland, and the country's oldest and largest institution of higher education. Founded in 1911, it has grown steadily from a small civil servants' school to a modern comprehensive university, providing instruction for about...
in 1979. Then she went to Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
to study as a guest student at the University of Copenhagen
University of Copenhagen
The University of Copenhagen is the oldest and largest university and research institution in Denmark. Founded in 1479, it has more than 37,000 students, the majority of whom are female , and more than 7,000 employees. The university has several campuses located in and around Copenhagen, with the...
. In 1981 she came back to Iceland where she graduated as a cand.mag.
Cand.mag.
Candidatus magisterii , Candidata magisterii , i.e. Latin Candidate of Arts, abbreviated cand.mag., is an academic degree used in Denmark, and formerly in Norway and Iceland, roughly corresponding to an American Master of Arts and officially translated as such...
in history from University of Iceland
University of Iceland
The University of Iceland is a public research university in Reykjavík, Iceland, and the country's oldest and largest institution of higher education. Founded in 1911, it has grown steadily from a small civil servants' school to a modern comprehensive university, providing instruction for about...
in 1983.
Political career
Former Chairman of the Social Democratic Alliance (Samfylkingin), the second largest political party in AlthingAlthing
The Alþingi, anglicised variously as Althing or Althingi, is the national parliament of Iceland. The Althingi is the oldest parliamentary institution in the world still extant...
(Iceland's parliament). She was appointed foreign minister
Minister for Foreign Affairs of Iceland
The Icelandic Ministry for Foreign Affairs or the Icelandic Ministry for Foreign Affairs and External Trade is a cabinet-level ministry responsible for the country's foreign relations and defence...
on 24 May 2007.
Ingibjörg Sólrún started her political career in the Women's List
Women's List
The Women's List was a feminist party in Iceland that took part in national politics from 1983 to 1998, gaining some seats in Alþingi. In 1998 it merged with two other political parties to form the Social Democratic Alliance, but many of its members refused to participate in that party and joined...
(Samtök um kvennalista), a party she represented in Reykjavík's City Council from 1982 to 1988. She also represented the party in Parliament from 1991 to 1994.
She became Mayor of Reykjavík
Reykjavík
Reykjavík is the capital and largest city in Iceland.Its latitude at 64°08' N makes it the world's northernmost capital of a sovereign state. It is located in southwestern Iceland, on the southern shore of Faxaflói Bay...
in 1994 when she led a coalition of four political parties called Reykjavíkurlistinn, winning the elections. She was the city's Mayor until 2003.
In 2005 Ingibjörg Sólrún became the leader of the Alliance after a sharply contested election between her and the previous party leader Össur Skarphéðinsson
Össur Skarphéðinsson
Össur Skarphéðinsson is an Icelandic politician who has been Minister for Foreign Affairs since February 2009.Össur matriculated from the Reykjavík Grammar School in 1973, and gained a BS in Biology from the University of Iceland in 1979, and a doctorate in physiology from the University of East...
.