Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson
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Ólafur in 2011
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| 5th President of Iceland | |
| In office 1 August 1996 – 1 August 2016 |
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| Prime Minister | Davíð Oddsson Halldór Ásgrímsson Geir Haarde Jóhanna Sigurðardóttir Sigmundur Davíð Gunnlaugsson Sigurður Ingi Jóhannsson |
| Preceded by | Vigdís Finnbogadóttir |
| Succeeded by | Guðni Th. Jóhannesson |
| Minister of Finance | |
| In office 28 September 1988 – 30 April 1991 |
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| Prime Minister | Steingrímur Hermannsson |
| Preceded by | Jón Baldvin Hannibalsson |
| Succeeded by | Friðrik Klemenz Sophusson |
| Member of the Parliament for Reykjavík | |
| In office 20 April 1991 – 1 August 1996 |
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| In office 25 June 1978 – 23 April 1983 |
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| Personal details | |
| Born | 14 May 1943 Ísafjörður, Kingdom of Iceland |
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| Spouses |
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| Children | 2 |
| Alma mater | University of Manchester |
| Signature |  |
Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson (born 14 May 1943) is an Icelandic politician. He was the fifth president of Iceland, serving for 20 years from 1996 to 2016. Before becoming president, he was a member of the Icelandic Parliament (called the Althing). He also served as the Minister of Finance from 1988 to 1991.
After his time as president, Ólafur became the Chairman of the Arctic Circle. This is a group that works on issues in the Arctic region. He also became Chairman of the International Renewable Energy Agency's Global Commission on the Geopolitics of Energy Transformation.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Ólafur was born in Ísafjörður, a town in Iceland. His father was a barber and his mother was a housewife. He finished high school in 1962.
From 1962 to 1970, he studied at the University of Manchester in England. He earned a degree in economics and political science. Later, he received a PhD in political science. He was the first Icelander to get a PhD in this field. In 1970, he became a teacher at the University of Iceland. By 1973, he was a professor of political science there.
Political Journey
Ólafur began his political career as a member of the People's Alliance party. This was a left-wing political group.
- From 1978 to 1983, he was a Member of Althing (Iceland's Parliament) for Reykjavík.
- He led the People's Alliance group in Parliament from 1980 to 1983.
- From 1983 to 1987, he was the chairman of the People's Alliance executive committee.
- He also worked as an editor for a newspaper called Þjóðviljinn from 1983 to 1985.
- From 1984 to 1990, Ólafur was the chairman of Parliamentarians for Global Action (PGA). This group works for peace and global cooperation.
- In 1986, the PGA received the Indira Gandhi Prize while he was chairman.
- He led the People's Alliance party from 1987 to 1995.
- During this time, he was the Minister of Finance from 1988 to 1991.
- He was re-elected to Parliament for Reykjanes from 1991 to 1996.
Serving as President (1996–2016)
Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson served as the President of Iceland for five terms.
First Election in 1996
In the 1996 presidential election, Ólafur was elected president. He won with 41.4% of the votes.
Re-election in 2004
In the 2004 election, Ólafur was re-elected. He received 85.6% of the votes. However, many people left their ballots blank or invalid (21.2%). Also, fewer people voted than usual (62.9%). This was seen by some as disagreement with the president's decision not to sign a new media law.
The President in Iceland has a special power called a "veto." This means he can refuse to sign a law passed by Parliament. If he vetoes a law, the people can then vote on it in a public vote called a referendum.
Re-election in 2008
On 1 January 2008, Ólafur announced he would seek a fourth term as president. Since no one ran against him, he was automatically re-elected. He began his new term on 1 August 2008.
Iceland's Financial Crisis (2008)
After the 2008–2011 Icelandic financial crisis, Ólafur spoke out. He said other countries were not helping Iceland enough. He even suggested that Iceland might need to find "new friends" if traditional allies didn't offer support.
In 2010 and 2011, the President used his veto power again. He refused to sign laws that would have made Iceland repay Britain and the Netherlands for money lost by customers of Icelandic banks. The people of Iceland supported his decision in two public votes. This disagreement was known as the Icesave dispute.
Re-election in 2012
On 4 March 2012, Ólafur announced he would run for a fifth term. In the election on 30 June, he won with 52.78% of the votes.
Important Global Ideas
Ólafur believes that three big issues are connected and important for the world today:
- The 2009 financial crisis
- The need for a green energy revolution
- Climate change
He has said that we cannot solve one of these problems without solving the others.
Ólafur has also shared concerns about foreign funding for religious buildings in Iceland. He was worried that money from Saudi Arabia for a mosque in Reykjavík might cause problems.
Awards and Special Honors
Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson has received many honors from Iceland and other countries.
Icelandic Honors
Iceland:
Collar with Grand Cross Breast Star of the Order of the Falcon
Honors from Other Countries
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Denmark:
Knight of the Order of the Elephant
Germany:
Grand Cross Special Class of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany
Lithuania:
Grand Cross of the Order of Vytautas the Great
Norway:
Grand Cross of the Order of St. Olav
Slovenia:
Recipient of the Order for Exceptional Merits
Sweden:
Knight of the Royal Order of the Seraphim
Recipient of the Ruby Jubilee Commemorative Medal of King Carl XVI Gustaf
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Work on Renewable Energy and Climate Change
Ólafur has been a strong voice for renewable energy and fighting climate change.
- He started a Global Roundtable on Climate Change. This group brings together leaders from business, science, and environmental fields.
- He strongly supports using geothermal energy. This is a clean, renewable energy source that comes from the Earth's heat. Iceland uses a lot of geothermal energy.
- He has spoken at the Global Creative Leadership Summit several times.
- In 2008, he gave a main speech about climate change and how it relates to globalization.
- In 2013, he announced the creation of the Arctic Circle. This group helps leaders and experts talk about issues in the Arctic. These issues include climate change and melting sea ice.
Family Life
Ólafur married Guðrún Katrín Þorbergsdóttir in 1974. They had twin daughters, Guðrún Tinna and Svanhildur Dalla. Guðrún Katrín was very popular in Iceland. She sadly passed away in 1998.
Ólafur later married Dorrit Moussaieff. They got engaged in 2000 and married on his 60th birthday in 2003. The wedding was a private ceremony at the presidential home.
Images for kids
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Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson's signature
See also
In Spanish: Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson para niños
