Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson
|
|
|---|---|
.jpeg)
Ólafur in 2011
|
|
| 5th President of Iceland | |
| In office 1 August 1996 – 1 August 2016 |
|
| Prime Minister | Davíð Oddsson Halldór Ásgrímsson Geir Haarde Jóhanna Sigurðardóttir Sigmundur Davíð Gunnlaugsson Sigurður Ingi Jóhannsson |
| Preceded by | Vigdís Finnbogadóttir |
| Succeeded by | Guðni Th. Jóhannesson |
| Minister of Finance | |
| In office 28 September 1988 – 30 April 1991 |
|
| Prime Minister | Steingrímur Hermannsson |
| Preceded by | Jón Baldvin Hannibalsson |
| Succeeded by | Friðrik Klemenz Sophusson |
| Member of the Parliament for Reykjavík | |
| In office 20 April 1991 – 1 August 1996 |
|
| In office 25 June 1978 – 23 April 1983 |
|
| Personal details | |
| Born | 14 May 1943 Ísafjörður, Kingdom of Iceland |
| Political party |
|
| Spouses |
|
| Children | 2 |
| Alma mater | University of Manchester |
| Signature |  |
Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson (born 14 May 1943) is an Icelandic politician. He was the fifth president of Iceland, serving for 20 years from 1996 to 2016. Before becoming president, he was a member of the Icelandic Parliament (called the Althing) and served as Minister of Finance.
After his time as president, Ólafur became the Chairman of the Arctic Circle. This is a group that works on issues facing the Arctic region. He also became Chairman of the International Renewable Energy Agency's Global Commission on the Geopolitics of Energy Transformation.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Ólafur was born in Ísafjörður, Iceland. His father was a barber and his mother was a housewife. He finished high school in 1962.
From 1962 to 1970, he studied at the University of Manchester in England. He earned a degree in economics and political science. Later, he received a PhD in political science. He was the first Icelander to get a PhD in this field. In 1970, he started teaching political science at the University of Iceland. He became a professor there in 1973.
Political Career
Ólafur began his political journey as a member of the People's Alliance party. He was elected to the Althing (Iceland's Parliament) for Reykjavík from 1978 to 1983. During this time, he led his party's group in Parliament.
From 1987 to 1995, he was the leader of the People's Alliance. He also served as the Minister of Finance from 1988 to 1991. As Minister of Finance, he worked on Iceland's financial health. He was re-elected to Parliament for Reykjanes from 1991 to 1996.
Presidency (1996–2016)
Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson served as President of Iceland for five terms. The president in Iceland is a head of state, representing the country.
1996 Election and First Term
In the 1996 Icelandic presidential election, Ólafur was elected president. He won with 41.4% of the votes.
Re-election in 2004
In the 2004 Icelandic presidential election, Ólafur was re-elected. He received 85.6% of the votes. However, many people left their ballots blank or invalid. This was seen as a sign that some people disagreed with his decision not to sign a new media law. This event led to discussions about the president's power to veto laws.
Re-election in 2008
On 1 January 2008, Ólafur announced he would seek a fourth term as president. Since no one ran against him, he was automatically re-elected. He was sworn in again on 1 August 2008.
Iceland's Financial Crisis (2008)
After the 2008–2011 Icelandic financial crisis, Ólafur spoke out about the lack of help Iceland received from other countries. He believed Iceland should find new international friends if traditional allies did not offer enough support. He also felt Iceland could recover from the crisis by being creative and active in new areas.
In 2010 and 2011, Ólafur used his presidential power to veto government plans. These plans were about repaying money to Britain and the Netherlands after some Icelandic banks failed. The people of Iceland then voted in referendums and supported his vetoes. This meant Iceland did not have to pay back the money as the government had planned. This event is known as the Icesave dispute.
2012 Election and Fifth Term
On 4 March 2012, Ólafur announced he would run for a fifth term. In the 2012 Icelandic presidential election on 30 June, he won with 52.78% of the votes.
2016 Election and Decision Not to Run
On 1 January 2016, Ólafur first said he would not run for president again. He wanted to pass the responsibilities to someone new. However, after some political unrest in Iceland, he changed his mind in April and decided to run again. This unrest happened after information about some politicians' finances became public. Later, when other strong candidates announced they would run, he changed his mind again on 9 May and decided not to seek re-election.
Questions were raised about his wife's family connections to a company in the British Virgin Islands. Ólafur had previously said he and his family had no ties to companies in places with special financial rules.
Political Views
Ólafur is a strong supporter of efforts to reduce climate change. He believes in using renewable energy sources like geothermal energy, which Iceland uses a lot.
In 2015, Ólafur shared his concern about money from Saudi Arabia being used to build a mosque in Reykjavík. He was worried about outside influence on religious life in Iceland.
Awards and Decorations
National Honours
Iceland:
Collar with Grand Cross Breast Star of the Order of the Falcon
Foreign Honours
.svg)
Denmark:
Knight of the Order of the Elephant
Germany:
Grand Cross Special Class of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany
Lithuania:
Grand Cross of the Order of Vytautas the Great
Norway:
Grand Cross of the Order of St. Olav
Slovenia:
Recipient of the Order for Exceptional Merits
Sweden:
Knight of the Royal Order of the Seraphim
Recipient of the Ruby Jubilee Commemorative Medal of King Carl XVI Gustaf
.svg){kind=small}
.png){kind=small}
Other Achievements
Ólafur has been a strong voice for renewable energy and fighting climate change. He started a Global Roundtable on Climate Change. This group brings together leaders from businesses, environmental groups, and scientists. He strongly supports using geothermal energy. Iceland is a great example of how this clean energy source can be used successfully.
In 2013, he announced the creation of the Arctic Circle. This organization helps leaders and experts talk about issues facing the Arctic. These issues include climate change and melting sea ice.
Family
Ólafur married Guðrún Katrín Þorbergsdóttir in 1974. They had twin daughters, Guðrún Tinna and Svanhildur Dalla. Guðrún Katrín was very well-liked in Iceland. She sadly passed away in 1998.
Ólafur's second marriage was to Israeli-born Dorrit Moussaieff. They got married on his 60th birthday, 14 May 2003. The ceremony was private and held at the presidential residence.
Health
Ólafur was hospitalized in Reykjavík on 6 October 2008. He had a medical procedure called an angioplasty. He announced a few days later that he was recovering well and had resumed most of his activities.
Images for kids
-
Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson during his visit to The Doon School in India, seen here with the school's headmaster Peter McLaughlin
See also
In Spanish: Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson para niños
