Women

Iceland Has Elected This Entrepreneur And Businesswoman As Its Second Woman President

Tomasdottir was previously the head of Iceland's Chamber of Commerce and the CEO of a global non-profit that works to promote diversity in the workplace.

Isha Jain

Aug 19, 2024 — 3 min read

Iceland has elected this entrepreneur and businesswoman as its second woman president.

Halla Tomasdottir iceland second woman president — *Independant presidential candidate and businesswoman Halla Tomasdottir looks on at an election party. (Photo credit: Getty)*

55-year-old Halla Tomasdottir was sworn in as the country’s 7th president on Aug. 1st after winning 34.3% of votes.

She is the country's second democratically elected woman president since 1980, when Vigdis Finnbogadottir became the world's 1st woman president.

Vigdis Finnbogadottir became the world's 1st woman president — *Photo credit: Getty*

Tomasdottir was previously the head of Iceland's Chamber of Commerce and the CEO of a global non-profit that works to promote diversity in the workplace.

iceland president Halla Tomasdottir — *Photo credit: Instagram*

During the campaign, she positioned herself as a neutral candidate, focusing on issues such as mental health, boosting tourism and managing the impact of AI.

iceland second woman president — *Photo credit: Instagram*

Even though the president is a largely ceremonial role with limited power, Tomasdottir said during her inauguration that her goal is "to be a president that asks the right questions."

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