Bjarni Benediktsson (born 1970) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Bjarni Benediktsson
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Bjarni in 2023
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| 31st Prime Minister of Iceland | |
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Caretaker
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| Assumed office 9 April 2024 |
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| President | Guðni Th. Jóhannesson Halla Tómasdóttir |
| Preceded by | Katrín Jakobsdóttir |
| In office 11 January 2017 – 30 November 2017 |
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| President | Guðni Th. Jóhannesson |
| Preceded by | Sigurður Ingi Jóhannsson |
| Succeeded by | Katrín Jakobsdóttir |
| Minister for Foreign Affairs | |
| In office 14 October 2023 – 9 April 2024 |
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| Prime Minister | Katrín Jakobsdóttir |
| Preceded by | Þórdís Kolbrún R. Gylfadóttir |
| Succeeded by | Þórdís Kolbrún R. Gylfadóttir |
| Minister for Finance and Economic Affairs | |
| In office 30 November 2017 – 14 October 2023 |
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| Prime Minister | Katrín Jakobsdóttir |
| Preceded by | Benedikt Jóhannesson |
| Succeeded by | Þórdís Kolbrún R. Gylfadóttir |
| In office 23 May 2013 – 11 January 2017 |
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| Prime Minister | Sigmundur Davíð Gunnlaugsson Sigurður Ingi Jóhannsson |
| Preceded by | Katrín Júlíusdóttir |
| Succeeded by | Benedikt Jóhannesson |
| Leader of the Independence Party | |
| Assumed office 29 March 2009 |
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| Preceded by | Geir Haarde |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 26 January 1970 Reykjavík, Iceland |
| Political party | Independence Party |
| Spouse | Þóra Margrét Baldvinsdóttir |
| Children | 4 |
| Alma mater | University of Iceland University of Miami |
| Nickname | Bjarni Ben |
Bjarni Benediktsson (born 26 January 1970), known colloquially as Bjarni Ben, is an Icelandic politician, who has served as the prime minister of Iceland since April 2024, and previously from January to November 2017. He has been the leader of the Icelandic Independence Party since 2009, and served as Minister of Finance and Economic Affairs from 2013 to 2017, a post he later retained under Katrín Jakobsdóttir and held until his resignation in October 2023. After serving briefly as the Minister for Foreign Affairs from 2023 to 2024, Bjarni became prime minister again on 9 April 2024.
Bjarni is popularly referred to as a "teflon" politician due to managing to retain his position as one of Iceland's most powerful politicians despite his frequent involvement in political scandals.
Contents
Early life and education
Bjarni was born in Reykjavík. His great uncle was the former prime minister of the same name, Bjarni Benediktsson.
After obtaining a law degree at the University of Iceland, Bjarni went on to study German and law at the Goethe-Institut and University of Freiburg, respectively, in Germany from 1995 to 1996. The following year, he attended the University of Miami in the United States, where he earned a LL.M. degree. He then returned to Iceland, where he worked as an attorney.
Political career
Bjarni entered the national parliament in 2003 and has been active in several committees in the areas of economy and taxation, industry and foreign affairs.
Bjarni was elected leader of the conservative Independence Party at its national convention on 29 March 2009 with 58.1 percent of the vote, about a month before the April 2009 Icelandic legislative elections. The party came in second in the elections with 16 seats, nine fewer than in the previous elections. After conceding defeat on 26 April 2009, Bjarni said his party had lost the trust of voters. "We lost this time but we will win again later," he said.
In the 2013 Althing elections on 28 April the Independence Party and their ally the Progressive Party each won 19 seats. On 17 May 2013 Icelandic media reported that Bjarni would take up the position of Minister of Finance and Economic Affairs in a cabinet led by Progressive Party leader Sigmundur Davíð Gunnlaugsson. In the 2016 Althing elections, the Independence Party won 21 seats, while the Progressive party only won 8. Shortly after the results, Prime Minister Sigurður Ingi Jóhannsson resigned from his post. A new coalition between the Independence Party, the Reform Party and Bright Future was formed in January 2017 with Bjarni designated to become prime minister.
Prime Minister (2017)
Bjarni became Prime Minister of Iceland on 11 January 2017. In September 2017, the future of the Icelandic government and Bjarni's tenure as prime minister was put in doubt when the Bright Future party withdrew from the governing coalition. .....
The Minister of Justice, Sigríður Andersen, had informed Bjarni about his father's involvement in the letter of recommendation in July, and refused to disclose the recommendation's author until compelled to by a parliamentary committee.
In January 2017 he was named as the eighth hottest head of state in the world.
Minister of Finance and Economic Affairs (2017–2023, second term)
After the 2017 parliamentary elections, Katrín Jakobsdóttir became prime minister, and in a coalition agreement, Bjarni became the finance minister again. Bjarni resigned on 10 October 2023, following the release of a report by the Althing Ombudsman which heavily condemned his conduct relating to the sale of state-owned shares in the bank Íslandsbanki.
Minister of Foreign Affairs (2023–2024)
Only a few days after his resignation as minister of finance and economic affairs, Bjarni was appointed minister of foreign affairs. His predecessor in the position, Þórdís Kolbrún R. Gylfadóttir, was appointed his successor as finance minister.
In a meeting of Nordic foreign ministers in Oslo, Norway in November 2023, he refused to condemn Israel's bombing of the Jabalia refugee camp on the Gaza Strip the preceding day, questioning whether it could be described as an "attack” Bjarni stated: "It depends on what you define as an 'attack'".
Prime Minister (2024–present, second term)
On 9 April 2024, Bjarni became Prime Minister of Iceland following Katrín Jakobsdóttir's resignation to run for president.
He began his second term with a 13% approval rating. Bjarni faced a no-confidence vote on 18 April which failed 35 to 25.
On 13 October, Bjarni announced that the government had collapsed due to disputes over foreign policy, asylum seekers, and energy, prompting him to call for new elections in November.
See also
In Spanish: Bjarni Benediktsson (1970) para niños
