Iceland is set to undergo significant changes in its political landscape with the appointment of a new Prime Minister and President. Bjarni Benediktsson, a conservative politician from the Independence Party, has been appointed as the new Prime Minister of Iceland following the resignation of Katrin Jakobsdóttir on Friday. Benediktsson had previously served as Finance Minister in Jakobsdóttir’s cabinet and was also the Prime Minister from January to November 2017 before Jakobsdóttir took office. However, his government collapsed due to a scandal involving his father’s controversial statements.
The departure of Katrin Jakobsdóttir has led to changes in the Icelandic coalition government, with Thórdís Kolbrún Reykfjörd Gylfadóttir taking over as Foreign Minister and Sigurdur Ingi Jóhannsson from the Progress Party assuming the role of Finance Minister. The new government will begin its work after a meeting of the Icelandic State Council on Tuesday evening.
In addition to these changes, the current President of Iceland, Gudni Th. Johannesson, has announced that he will not seek re-election, with the presidential election scheduled for June 1st. The role of Iceland’s president is largely ceremonial but this transition in leadership marks significant changes in the country’s political landscape.
