Sigmundur Davíð Gunnlaugsson facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Sigmundur Davíð Gunnlaugsson
Sigmundur Davíð in 2016
Leader of the Centre Party
Incumbent
Assumed office 24 September 2017
Preceded by	Office established
Prime Minister of Iceland
In office 23 May 2013 – 7 April 2016
President	Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson
Preceded by	Jóhanna Sigurðardóttir
Succeeded by	Sigurður Ingi Jóhannsson
Minister of Justice
In office 26 August 2014 – 4 December 2014
President	Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson
Preceded by	Hanna Birna Kristjánsdóttir (Interior)
Succeeded by	Ólöf Nordal (Interior)
Leader of the Progressive Party
In office 18 January 2009 – 2 October 2016
Preceded by	Valgerður Sverrisdóttir
Succeeded by	Sigurður Ingi Jóhannsson
Member of the Althing
Incumbent
Assumed office 25 April 2009
Personal details
Born	(1975-03-12) 12 March 1975 (age 50) Reykjavík, Iceland
Political party	Centre (since 2017)
Other political affiliations	Progressive (2007–2017)
Height	196 cm (6 ft 5 in)
Spouse	Anna Sigurlaug Pálsdóttir
Relations	Nanna Margrét Gunnlaugsdóttir (sister)
Children	1
Alma mater	University of Iceland Wolfson College, Oxford University of Cambridge

Sigmundur Davíð Gunnlaugsson (born on March 12, 1975) is an Icelandic politician. He served as the prime minister of Iceland from May 2013 to April 2016. He was also the leader of the Progressive Party from 2009 to 2016.

He was first elected to the Althing (Iceland's parliament) in April 2009. When he became prime minister at 38, he was one of the youngest leaders in the world. After news about his financial dealings came out, he resigned in April 2016. He later started a new political group called the Centre Party, which he leads today.

Early Life and Education

Sigmundur Davíð is the son of Gunnlaugur M. Sigmundsson, who was also a member of the Icelandic parliament.

He studied business at the University of Iceland. He also took part in student exchange programs and studied at famous universities like Wolfson College, Oxford and the University of Cambridge.

Before becoming a politician, Sigmundur Davíð worked as a news reporter for Iceland's state broadcasting service, RÚV, from 2000 to 2007. He was also involved in student groups and city planning in Reykjavík.

Political Journey

Sigmundur Davíð first became well-known in Iceland as a spokesperson for the InDefence movement. This group worked to prevent Iceland from having to pay a large amount of money to other countries after its banks collapsed in 2008. He and his wife owned a company called Wintris, which was set up in another country, at this time.

He became the leader of the Progressive Party in January 2009. He helped form a new government after the financial crisis led to early elections.

Becoming Prime Minister

In the April 2013 elections, the Progressive Party and the Independence Party both won many seats. Sigmundur Davíð was asked to form a new government, and he became Iceland's prime minister on May 23, 2013. At 38, he was the youngest prime minister in Iceland's history.

During his time as prime minister, he worked on dealing with the country's financial situation after the banking crisis. He also encouraged more teamwork between countries in the Nordic and Baltic Sea regions.

Panama Papers and Resignation

In April 2016, news reports from the Panama Papers revealed that Sigmundur Davíð and his wife owned Wintris, a company in another country. This company was a creditor of the failed Icelandic banks. It was also revealed that he had not fully shared information about his ownership of this company when he first entered parliament in 2009.

When asked about this in an interview, he said his financial information had always been clear. However, he later walked out of the interview. This news caused a lot of public anger, and many people called for him to resign.

Large protests took place in front of the parliament building. Under pressure, Sigmundur Davíð stepped aside as prime minister on April 5, 2016. Sigurður Ingi Jóhannsson took over as interim prime minister.

After Being Prime Minister

After leaving his role as prime minister, Sigmundur Davíð said he believed he was the target of a global plan to remove him from power. He suggested that various groups and media organizations had worked against him.

In September 2017, he announced he was forming a new political group called the Centre Party. This party is sometimes described as "populist," meaning it aims to appeal to ordinary people. In the 2017 election, the Centre Party won seven seats in parliament, including Sigmundur Davíð's.

In December 2018, a recording was leaked that showed four Centre Party members, including Sigmundur Davíð, making inappropriate comments. This event became known as the Klaustur Affair.

Sigmundur Davíð has also spoken strongly against certain European Union energy agreements, saying they would give the EU too much control over Iceland's energy. In 2019, his party held very long speeches in parliament to delay a vote on this topic. He has also questioned the effectiveness of actions taken to fight climate change.

In 2020, he made comments about the Black Lives Matter movement, comparing protests in the United States to historical events in China.

In the 2021 parliamentary election, his party received fewer votes and only three members were elected. Many people thought this was because of the Klaustur Affair and the long speeches in parliament.

Personal Life

Sigmundur Davíð and his wife, Anna Sigurlaug Pálsdóttir, lived in the United Kingdom when their company Wintris was set up. Anna Sigurlaug is considered one of Iceland's wealthiest women. She received money when her father sold his car dealership in 2005.

In the 2024 Icelandic parliamentary election, Sigmundur Davíð's sister, Nanna Margrét Gunnlaugsdóttir, was also elected to the Althing.

See also

In Spanish: Sigmundur Davíð Gunnlaugsson para niños