Þórdís Kolbrún R. Gylfadóttir
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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
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
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
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Tim Moore (8 March 2017), Iceland’s tourism boom — and backlash Financial Times.
- ↑ Ingvar (18 March 2018). "Nýkjörin forysta Sjálfstæðisflokksins | Sjálfstæðisflokkurinn". xd.is. Retrieved 2018-03-25.
- ↑ "Stjórnarráðið | Ferðamála-, iðnaðar- og nýsköpunarráðherra". www.stjornarradid.is (in íslenska). Retrieved 2018-03-25.
- ↑ "Yngsta konan til að gegna ráðherraembætti: Ekki markmið að verða ráðherra fyrir þrítugt - Vísir". visir.is. Retrieved 2018-03-25.
- ↑ Icelandic Presidency of the Council of Europe Committee of Ministers Council of Europe, press release of November 2022.
- ↑ "Iceland is the first country in Europe to close its embassy in Russia". Civil Today. 3 August 2023. Retrieved 29 January 2024.
- ↑ "Bjarni verður utanríkisráðherra og Þórdís fjármálaráðherra" (in íslenska). RÚV. 14 October 2023. Retrieved 23 October 2023.
- ↑ "Bjarni Benediktsson tekinn við forsætisráðuneytinu" (in íslenska). RÚV. 9 April 2024. Retrieved 23 April 2024.
- ↑ "Nordic statement on the draft legal bills in the Knesset related to UNRWA". government.no. 23 October 2024. Retrieved 28 October 2024.
- ↑ "Святлана Ціханоўская ўзнагародзіла прэзідэнтку Еўрапарламента Крыжам добрасуседства / Афіцыйны сайт Святланы Ціханоўскай". tsikhanouskaya.org (in беларуская). 2023-08-13. Retrieved 2023-09-15.
External links
- CS1 беларуская-language sources (be)
- 1987 births
- Female defence ministers
- Female foreign ministers
- Female justice ministers
- Finance ministers of Iceland
- Foreign ministers of Iceland
- Government ministers of Iceland
- Icelandic women lawyers
- Independence Party (Iceland) politicians
- Living people
- Members of the Althing 2016–2017
- Members of the Althing 2017–2021
- Members of the Althing 2021–2024
- Members of the Althing 2024–2028
- People from Akranes
- Reykjavík University alumni
- Women government ministers of Iceland
- Women members of the Althing