Guðmundur Árni Stefánsson

Guðmundur Árni Stefánsson (born 31 October 1955) is an Icelandic politician and diplomat. He was a member of the Althing from 1993 to 2005, was Minister of Health and Social Security and Minister of Social Affairs, and has served as Iceland's ambassador to several countries.

This is an Icelandic name. The last name is patronymic, not a family name; this person is referred to by the given name Guðmundur.

Guðmundur Árni Stefánsson, 2016

Early life and education

Guðmundur was born in Hafnarfjörður, where he finished school at Flensborgarskóli. He studied political science at the University of Iceland from 1978 to 1980. His father, Stefán Gunnlaugsson, his brother Gunnlaugur Stefánsson, and his half-brother Finnur Torfi Stefánsson were all also members of the Althing.[1]

Non-political career

From 1975 to 1986, except for four years as a police officer in Reykjavík, he worked as a journalist in newspapers and broadcasting, including as editor of Alþýðublaðið from 1982 to 1985.[1]

Political and diplomatic career

He was a representative for Hafnarfjörður from 1982 to 1994 and from 1986 to 1993 mayor of Hafnarfjörður.[1]

He was elected a deputy member of the Althing for Reykjanes in October 1991 and January 1993, then in 1993 as a full member for Reykjanes from the Social Democratic Party. He continued to serve until 2005, later as a member of the joint parliamentary group formed by the Social Democrats and the National Awakening and then of the Social Democratic Alliance, from 2003 representing the Southwest.[1] He was named Minister of Health and Social Security in June 1993[2] and was Minister of Social Affairs from June to November 1994; in 1995–1999 he was fourth vice-president of the Althing and in 1999–2005, first vice president.[1]

From 1995 to 1997, Guðmundur was a member of the Icelandic delegation to the Nordic Council, then from 1997 to 2005, of the Icelandic delegation to NATO; he served as chairman in 2005.[1]

Since leaving the Althing and being appointed Ambassador to Sweden in November 2005,[3] Guðmundur has served as the Ambassador of Iceland to multiple countries:

In April 2020 he was named Consul General of Iceland in Winnipeg, Canada.[6]

Personal life

Guðmundur married Jóna Dóra Karlsdóttir in 1977. They have four children; their two eldest sons died in childhood[1] in a house fire in 1985.[8]

References
  1. "Guðmundur Árni Stefánsson" (official biography) (in Icelandic). Althing. 23 September 2019. Retrieved 25 September 2021.
  2. "Breytingar á ríkisstjórn staðfestar á ríkisráðsfundi Guðmundur Árni og Össur". Morgunblaðið (in Icelandic). 15 June 1993. Retrieved 26 September 2021.
  3. "Guðmundur Árni til Svíþjóðar". Vísir (in Icelandic). 10 June 2005. Retrieved 26 September 2021.
  4. "Skrá yfir fulltrúa Íslands hjá erlendum ríkjum frá upphafi" [List of Icelandic representatives to other states from the beginning] (in Icelandic). Icelandic Ministry for Foreign Affairs. Archived from the original on 26 March 2016.
  5. Vésteinn Örn Pétursson (23 September 2018). "Guðmundur Árni nýr sendiherra á Indlandi". Vísir (in Icelandic). Retrieved 26 September 2021.
  6. "Guðmundur Árni til Winnipeg". Viljinn (in Icelandic). 27 April 2020. Retrieved 26 September 2021.
  7. "Afhending trúnaðarbréfs á Srí Lanka" (in Icelandic). Cabinet of Iceland. 5 February 2019. Retrieved 26 September 2021.
  8. Hulda Hólmkelsdóttir (12 December 2017). "Synir Jónu Dóru létust í eldsvoða árið 1985: 'Maður verður að engu'". Vísir (in Icelandic). Retrieved 25 September 2021.
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