Sigmundur Davíð Gunnlaugsson facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sigmundur Davíð Gunnlaugsson
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Sigmundur Davíð in 2016
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| Leader of the Centre Party | |
| Assumed office 24 September 2017 |
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| Preceded by | Office established |
| Prime Minister of Iceland | |
| In office 23 May 2013 – 7 April 2016 |
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| President | Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson |
| Preceded by | Jóhanna Sigurðardóttir |
| Succeeded by | Sigurður Ingi Jóhannsson |
| Minister of Justice | |
| In office 26 August 2014 – 4 December 2014 |
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| 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 |
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| Preceded by | Valgerður Sverrisdóttir |
| Succeeded by | Sigurður Ingi Jóhannsson |
| Member of the Althing | |
| Assumed office 25 April 2009 |
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| Personal details | |
| Born | 12 March 1975 Reykjavík, Iceland |
| Political party | Centre (2017–present) |
| 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 12 March 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.
Sigmundur Davíð was first elected to the Althing (Iceland's parliament) in 2009. When he became prime minister at 38, he was one of the youngest leaders in the world. He resigned as prime minister in 2016 after information from the Panama Papers became public. Later, he left the Progressive Party and started a new party called the Centre Party, which he still leads today.
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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 administration at the University of Iceland. He also studied at the University of Copenhagen, Plekhanov Russian University of Economics in Moscow, and Wolfson College, Oxford. In 2004, he was a Chevening scholar at 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 economics groups and city planning in Reykjavík.
Political Journey
Sigmundur Davíð first became well-known during Iceland's financial crisis. He was a spokesperson for a group called InDefence. This group worked to prevent Iceland from having to pay a large amount of money to other countries after its banks failed.
In 2009, he was elected leader of the Progressive Party. He then helped form a new government coalition.
Becoming Prime Minister
In the 2013 elections, the Progressive Party and the Independence Party both won many seats in parliament. Sigmundur Davíð was asked to form a new government. On 23 May 2013, he became Iceland's new prime minister. He was the youngest prime minister in Iceland's history at that time.
As prime minister, he worked on dealing with the aftermath of the financial crisis. He also encouraged more cooperation between Nordic and Baltic Sea countries.
The Panama Papers and Resignation
In April 2016, news reports from the Panama Papers revealed information about Sigmundur Davíð and his wife. It showed that they owned an offshore company called Wintris. This company was used to invest his wife's inheritance.
The reports also showed that Sigmundur Davíð had not fully shared information about his ownership of this company when he first entered parliament in 2009. He later sold his share of the company to his wife for a very small amount of money, just before a new law would have required him to report it as a conflict of interest.
This news caused a lot of public anger in Iceland. Many people called for him to resign. Large protests took place outside the parliament building.
Sigmundur Davíð initially said he would not resign. He apologized for how he handled an interview where he was asked about the company. However, due to the pressure, he stepped aside as prime minister on 5 April 2016. Sigurður Ingi Jóhannsson became the new interim prime minister.
After Being Prime Minister
After resigning, Sigmundur Davíð lost his position as leader of the Progressive Party. He later claimed that he was the target of a "global conspiracy" to remove him from power.
In 2017, he decided to form a new political party called the Centre Party. This party is sometimes described as "populist." In the 2017 election, the Centre Party won seven seats in parliament, including Sigmundur Davíð's.
Since then, he has continued to be a member of the Icelandic parliament. He has spoken out on various issues, including energy policy and climate change.
Personal Life
Sigmundur Davíð is married to Anna Sigurlaug Pálsdóttir. They have one child.
Anna Sigurlaug is known as one of Iceland's wealthiest women. She inherited money from her father, who owned the main Toyota car dealership in Iceland.
Sigmundur Davíð's sister, Nanna Margrét Gunnlaugsdóttir, also became a member of the Althing in 2024.
See also
- In Spanish: Sigmundur Davíð Gunnlaugsson para niños
