Geir Hallgrímsson
Encyclopedia
Geir Hallgrímsson was the 16th Prime Minister
of Iceland
for the Independence Party
from 28 August 1974 to 1 September 1978. Geir was mayor of Reykjavík
from 1959 to 1972. During his term as mayor he greatly expanded the city and improved the inner structure. Under his guidance the geothermal heating system was expanded to the whole city, when previously it had only been available to a minority of the city. He also improved the streets by turning the mostly gravel roads into modern asphalt streets. He was popular as mayor and in an open primary for the municipal elections he won 99% of the votes in 1970.
In the fall of 1970 he came in number one in the primary for elections to Althing
, ahead of prime minister Jóhann Hafstein
and former mayor Gunnar Thoroddsen
. He was a member of parliament from 1970 (took his permanent seat with the death of prime minister Bjarni Benediktsson
) until 1983. In 1971 he was elected vice chairman of the Independence Party
and in 1973 he became chairman after Jóhann Hafstein
resigned for health reasons. In 1974 he led the Independence Party
to one of its greatest victories. The party won 42.5% of the vote and 25 out of 60 parliamentary seats. He then led a coalition government with the Progressive party]] from 1974 to 1978.
His government expanded the fishing limits to 200 miles (370 km) and had to fight Britain in the 'Cod War
'. After Iceland had broken diplomatic relations with Britain in 1976 over the dispute, negotiations led to an agreement in June that year. According to the agreement Britain accepted the 200 mile (370 km) zone.
In 1978 the government suffered a setback after it had set a law that limited wage increases. The law was an attempt to curb inflation which was running close to 50%. The two government parties lost five parliamentary seats each and a new coalition government was formed without the Independence party. A year later the Independence party failed to make significant gains in an election after the government had resigned. Hallgrímsson also faced opposition within his own party and came in number two in primary elections in 1978. Albert Gudmundssson won the first seat. A year later Hallgrímsson won the first seat back. He twice successfully won elections against his opponents for the chairmanship. In 1979 and 1981 he got about 75%, first against Albert Gudmundsson and then his opponent was Pálmi Jónsson, then minister of agriculture.
In 1980 the vice chairman of the Independence Party
, Gunnar Thoroddsen
, decided to break ranks within the party and lead a group of four members of the Independence party to form a government with the People's Alliance (Socialist party) and the Progressive party. Hallgrímsson was leader of the opposition. The Independence party was united in the election to Parliament in 1983. However Hallgrímsson suffered a setback when he came in seventh in the primary for the parliamentary elections. He lost his seat in Parliament in the elections in 1983. However, he served as foreign minister in a coalition government with the Progressive party from 1983 until 1986.
After the elections he announced that he would not seek re-election as party chairman. He left government in 1986 when he became one of the three Governors of the Central Bank of Iceland, a position he held till his death in September 1990.
Prime Minister of Iceland
The Prime Minister of Iceland is Iceland's head of government. The prime minister is appointed formally by the President and exercises executive authority along with the cabinet subject to parliamentary support....
of Iceland
Iceland
Iceland , described as the Republic of Iceland, is a Nordic and European island country in the North Atlantic Ocean, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Iceland also refers to the main island of the country, which contains almost all the population and almost all the land area. The country has a population...
for the Independence Party
Independence Party (Iceland)
The Independence Party is a centre-right political party in Iceland. Liberal conservative and Eurosceptic, it is the second-largest party in the Althing, with sixteen seats. The chairman of the party is Bjarni Benediktsson and vice chairman is Ólöf Nordal....
from 28 August 1974 to 1 September 1978. Geir was mayor of Reykjavík
Reykjavík
Reykjavík is the capital and largest city in Iceland.Its latitude at 64°08' N makes it the world's northernmost capital of a sovereign state. It is located in southwestern Iceland, on the southern shore of Faxaflói Bay...
from 1959 to 1972. During his term as mayor he greatly expanded the city and improved the inner structure. Under his guidance the geothermal heating system was expanded to the whole city, when previously it had only been available to a minority of the city. He also improved the streets by turning the mostly gravel roads into modern asphalt streets. He was popular as mayor and in an open primary for the municipal elections he won 99% of the votes in 1970.
In the fall of 1970 he came in number one in the primary for elections to Althing
Althing
The Alþingi, anglicised variously as Althing or Althingi, is the national parliament of Iceland. The Althingi is the oldest parliamentary institution in the world still extant...
, ahead of prime minister Jóhann Hafstein
Jóhann Hafstein
Jóhann Hafstein was elected to Althingi for Reykjavik in 1946 which he represented until 1978. Jóhann was Prime Minister of Iceland from 10 July 1970 to 14 July 1971, for the Independence Party. Member of the Althing 1946–1978. Hafstein was Speaker of the Lower House of the Althing 1959–1961 and...
and former mayor Gunnar Thoroddsen
Gunnar Thoroddsen
Gunnar Thoroddsen was Prime Minister of Iceland from 8 February 1980 to 26 May 1983. Gunnar is the youngest man ever elected to the Althing, Iceland's Parliament. He was 23 years old when he was elected as MP in 1934. He served as an Ambassador of Iceland in Denmark from 1965 to 1969 when he ran...
. He was a member of parliament from 1970 (took his permanent seat with the death of prime minister Bjarni Benediktsson
Bjarni Benediktsson
Bjarni Benediktsson was Prime Minister of Iceland from 14 November 1963 to 10 July 1970. His father, Benedikt Sveinsson , was a leader in the independence movement in Iceland and a member of Althingi from 1908 to 1931.Bjarni studied constitutional law and became professor at the University of...
) until 1983. In 1971 he was elected vice chairman of the Independence Party
Independence Party (Iceland)
The Independence Party is a centre-right political party in Iceland. Liberal conservative and Eurosceptic, it is the second-largest party in the Althing, with sixteen seats. The chairman of the party is Bjarni Benediktsson and vice chairman is Ólöf Nordal....
and in 1973 he became chairman after Jóhann Hafstein
Jóhann Hafstein
Jóhann Hafstein was elected to Althingi for Reykjavik in 1946 which he represented until 1978. Jóhann was Prime Minister of Iceland from 10 July 1970 to 14 July 1971, for the Independence Party. Member of the Althing 1946–1978. Hafstein was Speaker of the Lower House of the Althing 1959–1961 and...
resigned for health reasons. In 1974 he led the Independence Party
Independence Party (Iceland)
The Independence Party is a centre-right political party in Iceland. Liberal conservative and Eurosceptic, it is the second-largest party in the Althing, with sixteen seats. The chairman of the party is Bjarni Benediktsson and vice chairman is Ólöf Nordal....
to one of its greatest victories. The party won 42.5% of the vote and 25 out of 60 parliamentary seats. He then led a coalition government with the Progressive party]] from 1974 to 1978.
His government expanded the fishing limits to 200 miles (370 km) and had to fight Britain in the 'Cod War
Cod War
The Cod Wars, also called the Icelandic Cod Wars , were a series of confrontations in the 1950s and 1970s between the United Kingdom and Iceland regarding fishing rights in the North Atlantic....
'. After Iceland had broken diplomatic relations with Britain in 1976 over the dispute, negotiations led to an agreement in June that year. According to the agreement Britain accepted the 200 mile (370 km) zone.
In 1978 the government suffered a setback after it had set a law that limited wage increases. The law was an attempt to curb inflation which was running close to 50%. The two government parties lost five parliamentary seats each and a new coalition government was formed without the Independence party. A year later the Independence party failed to make significant gains in an election after the government had resigned. Hallgrímsson also faced opposition within his own party and came in number two in primary elections in 1978. Albert Gudmundssson won the first seat. A year later Hallgrímsson won the first seat back. He twice successfully won elections against his opponents for the chairmanship. In 1979 and 1981 he got about 75%, first against Albert Gudmundsson and then his opponent was Pálmi Jónsson, then minister of agriculture.
In 1980 the vice chairman of the Independence Party
Independence Party (Iceland)
The Independence Party is a centre-right political party in Iceland. Liberal conservative and Eurosceptic, it is the second-largest party in the Althing, with sixteen seats. The chairman of the party is Bjarni Benediktsson and vice chairman is Ólöf Nordal....
, Gunnar Thoroddsen
Gunnar Thoroddsen
Gunnar Thoroddsen was Prime Minister of Iceland from 8 February 1980 to 26 May 1983. Gunnar is the youngest man ever elected to the Althing, Iceland's Parliament. He was 23 years old when he was elected as MP in 1934. He served as an Ambassador of Iceland in Denmark from 1965 to 1969 when he ran...
, decided to break ranks within the party and lead a group of four members of the Independence party to form a government with the People's Alliance (Socialist party) and the Progressive party. Hallgrímsson was leader of the opposition. The Independence party was united in the election to Parliament in 1983. However Hallgrímsson suffered a setback when he came in seventh in the primary for the parliamentary elections. He lost his seat in Parliament in the elections in 1983. However, he served as foreign minister in a coalition government with the Progressive party from 1983 until 1986.
After the elections he announced that he would not seek re-election as party chairman. He left government in 1986 when he became one of the three Governors of the Central Bank of Iceland, a position he held till his death in September 1990.