Geir Haarde
Geir Hilmar Haarde (Icelandic pronunciation: [ˈceːir̥ ˈhɪlmar̥ ˈhɔrtɛ]; born 8 April 1951) is an Icelandic politician, who served as prime minister of Iceland from 15 June 2006 to 1 February 2009 and as president of the Nordic Council in 1995. Geir was chairman of the Icelandic Independence Party from 2005 to 2009. Since 23 February 2015 he has served as the ambassador of Iceland to the United States and several Latin American countries.
Geir Haarde | |
|---|---|
Geir in 2005 | |
| Icelandic Ambassador to the United States | |
| In office 23 February 2015 – 1 July 2019 | |
| President | Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson Guðni Th. Jóhannesson |
| Prime Minister | Sigmundur Davíð Gunnlaugsson Sigurður Ingi Jóhannsson Bjarni Benediktsson Katrin Jakobsdottir |
| Preceded by | Guðmundur Árni Stefánsson |
| Succeeded by | Bergdís Ellertsdóttir |
| 23rd Prime Minister of Iceland | |
| In office 15 June 2006 – 1 February 2009 | |
| President | Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson |
| Preceded by | Halldór Ásgrímsson |
| Succeeded by | Jóhanna Sigurðardóttir |
| President of the Nordic Council | |
| In office 1 January 1995 – 31 December 1995 | |
| Preceded by | Per Olof Håkansson |
| Succeeded by | Knud Enggaard |
| Leader of the Independence Party | |
| In office 16 October 2005 – 29 March 2009 | |
| Preceded by | Davíð Oddsson |
| Succeeded by | Bjarni Benediktsson |
| Minister of Foreign Affairs | |
| In office 27 September 2005 – 15 June 2006 | |
| Prime Minister | Halldor Asgrimsson |
| Preceded by | Davíð Oddsson |
| Succeeded by | Valgerður Sverrisdóttir |
| Minister of Finance | |
| In office 16 September 1998 – 27 September 2005 | |
| Prime Minister | Davíð Oddsson Halldor Asgrimsson |
| Preceded by | Friðrik Sophusson |
| Succeeded by | Árni M. Mathiesen |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Geir Hilmar Haarde 8 April 1951 Reykjavík, Iceland |
| Political party | Independence Party |
| Spouse(s) | Patricia Angelina (Divorced) Inga Jóna Þórðardóttir |
| Alma mater | Brandeis University Johns Hopkins University University of Minnesota, Twin Cities |
Geir initially led a coalition between his party and the Progressive Party. After the 2007 parliamentary election, in which the Independence Party increased its share of the vote, Geir renewed his term as prime minister, leading a coalition between his party and the Social Democratic Alliance. That coalition resigned in January 2009 after widespread protests following an economic collapse in October 2008. In September 2010, Geir became the first Icelandic minister to be indicted for misconduct in office, and stood trial before the Landsdómur, a special court for such cases. He was convicted on one count, but acquitted of the most serious violations.