Jóhanna Sigurðardóttir facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jóhanna Sigurðardóttir
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Official portrait, 2009–2013
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| 28th Prime Minister of Iceland | |
| In office 1 February 2009 – 23 May 2013 |
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| President | Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson |
| Preceded by | Geir Haarde |
| Succeeded by | Sigmundur Davíð Gunnlaugsson |
| Minister of Social Affairs and Social Security | |
| In office 24 May 2007 – 1 February 2009 |
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| Prime Minister | Geir Haarde |
| Preceded by | Magnús Stefánsson |
| Succeeded by | Ásta Ragnheiður Jóhannesdóttir |
| In office 8 July 1987 – 24 June 1994 |
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| Prime Minister |
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| Preceded by | Alexander Stefánsson |
| Succeeded by | Guðmundur Árni Stefánsson |
| Member of the Althing | |
| In office 25 June 1978 – 27 April 2013 |
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| Personal details | |
| Born | 4 October 1942 Reykjavík, Kingdom of Iceland |
| Political party | Social Democratic Party (Before 1994) National Awakening (1994–2000) Social Democratic Alliance (2000–present) |
| Spouse |
Þorvaldur Steinar Jóhannesson
(m. 1970; div. 1987) |
| Children | 2 sons |
Jóhanna Sigurðardóttir (born 4 October 1942) is an Icelandic politician. She served as the prime minister of Iceland from 2009 to 2013.
Jóhanna was a member of the Althing (Iceland's parliament) from 1978 to 2013. She was also the Minister of Social Affairs and Social Security. She held this role from 1987 to 1994, and again from 2007 to 2009. In 1994, she famously said, "Minn tími mun koma!" ("My time will come!"). This phrase became a popular saying in Iceland.
Jóhanna became prime minister on 1 February 2009. This happened after the previous government resigned because of the 2008 Icelandic financial crisis. Her government won a majority in the 2009 parliamentary election. She made history as Iceland's first female prime minister. In 2009, Forbes magazine named her one of the 100 most powerful women in the world. She retired from politics in 2013, after being the longest-serving member of the Icelandic Parliament at that time.
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Early Life and Work
Jóhanna was born in Reykjavík, the capital of Iceland. Her father was Sigurður Egill Ingimundarson. She went to the Commercial College of Iceland, where she earned a diploma in 1960.
After college, she worked as a flight attendant for Icelandic Airlines from 1962 to 1971. This airline later became Icelandair. From 1971 to 1978, she worked as an office manager. Jóhanna was also active in trade unions, which are groups that protect workers' rights. She led the Icelandic Cabin Crew Association in 1966 and 1969.
Political Journey
Jóhanna was first elected to the Althing in 1978. She was part of the Social Democratic Party. She quickly became successful in parliament. She served as the deputy speaker of the Althing in 1979 and again from 1983 to 1984.
She became the vice-chairman of the Social Democratic Party in 1984. She held this position until 1993. Jóhanna also served as Minister of Social Affairs in four different governments between 1987 and 1994. In 1994, she left the Social Democratic Party. She formed a new party called National Awakening. Later, in 2000, her party merged with the Social Democratic Party to form the Social Democratic Alliance.
From 1994 to 2003, Jóhanna was an important member of the opposition in the Althing. She worked on many parliamentary committees. After the 2003 elections, she was again elected deputy speaker of the Althing. In the 2007 elections, the Social Democratic Alliance joined the government. Jóhanna was then named Minister of Social Affairs and Social Security.
Becoming Prime Minister
The Financial Crisis and Protests
On 26 January 2009, the prime minister at the time, Geir Haarde, resigned. This happened after the 2008 financial crisis caused many protests. These protests were sometimes called the "Kitchenware Revolution."
The President of Iceland, Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson, then asked the Social Democratic Alliance and the Left-Green Movement to form a new government. Jóhanna was suggested as the new prime minister. She was very popular with the public. An opinion poll in December 2008 showed that 73% of people approved of her work as a minister.
The new government was formed on 1 February 2009. It also needed support from the Progressive Party. On 25 April 2009, a new parliamentary election was held. Jóhanna's Social Democratic Alliance and the Left-Green Movement both gained more support. Together, they had a majority of seats in the Althing. On 10 May 2009, the new government was announced, with Jóhanna continuing as prime minister.
Dealing with the Financial Crisis
One of the biggest challenges was the Icesave bank debts. There were several public votes, called referendums, to decide how to handle these debts. The first Icesave referendum was held on 6 March 2010.
After this vote, new talks began. On 16 February 2011, the Althing agreed to a new plan to repay the money. However, the Icelandic president again refused to sign the deal. He called for another referendum. So, a second referendum was held on 9 April 2011. This vote also resulted in a "no" decision.
In September 2010, the Althing voted to charge the former prime minister, Geir Haarde, with negligence. He was tried in a special court called the Landsdómur. This court is used for cases where government officials are accused of misconduct. It was the first time this court had been used since it was created in 1905.
Creating a New Constitution
After taking power, Jóhanna's government wanted to change the Constitution. This idea came from the citizen protests. They believed that Icelandic citizens should help create a new constitution.
A large meeting called the National Forum was held on 14 November 2009. About 1,200 people, chosen randomly, took part. On 16 June 2010, the parliament accepted a law to create a Constitutional Council. This council would help write the new constitution.
In October 2010, 25 people with no political ties were elected to this council. The Supreme Court later cancelled these election results because of problems with how the election was run. However, the Parliament decided that these 25 people would still form the Constitutional Council.
On 29 July 2011, the council presented a draft of the new constitution to the Parliament. On 24 May 2012, the Parliament voted to hold a public vote on this new constitution. This vote was planned for no later than 20 October 2012.
Personal Life
Jóhanna married Þorvaldur Steinar Jóhannesson in 1970. They had two sons, Sigurður Egill Þorvaldsson and Davíð Steinar Þorvaldsson. They divorced in 1987.
In 2017, Jóhanna released her biography called Minn tími ("My Time"). This book covers the period of the financial crash in 2008, the protests, and the difficult recovery that followed.
See also
In Spanish: Jóhanna Sigurðardóttir para niños
Images for kids
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Jóhanna Sigurðardóttir (second from right) on an official visit to Slovenia
