Halldór Ásgrímsson facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Halldór Ásgrímsson
22nd Prime Minister of Iceland
In office 15 September 2004 – 15 June 2006
President	Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson
Preceded by	Davíð Oddsson
Succeeded by	Geir Haarde
Secretary General for the Nordic Council of Ministers
In office 1 January 2007 – 28 February 2013
Preceded by	Per Unckel
Succeeded by	Dagfinn Høybråten
Minister of Foreign Affairs
In office 23 April 1995 – 15 September 2004
Prime Minister	Davíð Oddsson
Preceded by	Jón Baldvin Hannibalsson
Succeeded by	Davíð Oddsson
Minister for Nordic Cooperation
In office 23 April 1995 – 11 May 1999
Prime Minister	Davið Oddsson
Preceded by	Sighvatur Kristinn Björgvinsson
Succeeded by	Siv Friðleifsdóttir
Minister of Fisheries
In office 26 May 1983 – 30 April 1991
Prime Minister	Steingrimur Hermannsson Þorsteinn Pálsson
Preceded by	Steingrimur Hermannsson
Succeeded by	Þorsteinn Pálsson
Minister of Justice
In office 28 September 1988 – 10 September 1989
Prime Minister	Steingrimur Hermannsson
Preceded by	Jón Sigurðsson
Succeeded by	Óli Guðbjartssson
Personal details
Born	(1947-09-08)8 September 1947 Vopnafjörður, Iceland
Died	18 May 2015(2015-05-18) (aged 67) Reykjavik, Iceland
Political party	Progressive Party
Spouse	Sigurjóna Sigurðardóttir
Children	3
Alma mater	Bifröst University

Halldór Ásgrímsson (born September 8, 1947 – died May 18, 2015) was an important Icelandic politician. He served as the Prime Minister of Iceland from 2004 to 2006. He was also the leader of the Progressive Party for many years, from 1994 to 2006.

Halldór Ásgrímsson: A Leader in Iceland

Early Life and Education

Halldór Ásgrímsson was born in Vopnafjörður, Iceland. He studied at the Co-operative College in Bifröst. In 1970, he became a certified public accountant. This means he was qualified to check financial records for businesses.

He continued his studies in business. He went to universities in Bergen, Norway, and Copenhagen, Denmark. From 1973 to 1975, he taught at the University of Iceland.

Journey into Politics

Halldór began his political career in 1974. He became a member of the Althing, which is Iceland's Parliament. He represented the Eastern part of Iceland. He served in Parliament for many years.

Key Roles as Minister

Over time, Halldór held several important jobs in the government. He was the Minister of Fisheries from 1983 to 1991. This role involved managing Iceland's fishing industry. He also served as Minister of Justice from 1988 to 1989.

He was the Minister for Nordic Cooperation for two periods. This job focused on working with other Nordic countries. From 1995 to 2004, he was the Minister of Foreign Affairs. In this role, he represented Iceland to other countries around the world.

Becoming Prime Minister

On September 15, 2004, Halldór Ásgrímsson became the Prime Minister of Iceland. He took over from Davíð Oddsson. At the same time, Davíð Oddsson became the new Foreign Minister.

Halldór served as Prime Minister until June 15, 2006. After some difficult local elections, he decided to step down. He also announced he would leave his role as leader of the Progressive Party. Geir H. Haarde became the next Prime Minister.

Later Career and Legacy

In August 2006, Halldór officially stepped down as leader of the Progressive Party. Jón Sigurðsson was chosen as the new party leader. Halldór gave a moving farewell speech at the party's meeting. He then resigned from Parliament. At that time, he was the longest-serving member of Parliament.

After leaving Parliament, Halldór took on a new international role. On October 31, 2006, he became the Secretary-General of the Nordic Council of Ministers. This organization works to improve cooperation between Nordic countries. He held this position until 2013.

Halldór Ásgrímsson passed away on May 18, 2015, in a hospital in Reykjavik. He died from a heart attack.

See also

In Spanish: Halldór Ásgrímsson para niños