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Halldór Ásgrímsson (pronounced [ˈhatltour ˈauːskrimˌsɔn]) (born 8 September 1947) is an Icelandic politician, formerly Prime Minister of Iceland from 2004 to 2006 and leader of the Progressive Party from 1994 to 2006.

Education and early life

Halldór earned a bachelor's degree from the Co-operative College of Iceland, and became a certified public accountant in 1970. He later completed graduate commerce studies at the Universities of Bergen and Copenhagen, and worked as a lecturer at the University of Iceland from 1973 to 1975.

Political career

He represented the East constituency as a member of the Althing (Icelandic Parliament) from 1974 to 1978 and from 1979 to 2003, when he was elected to represent the Reykjavík North constituency. Over the years, he has served in a large number of ministerial portfolios, namely as Minister of Fisheries from 1983 to 1991, Minister of Justice and Ecclesiastical Affairs from 1988 to 1989, Minister for Nordic Cooperation from 1985 to 1987 and 1995 to 1999 and Minister of Foreign Affairs from 1995 to 2004.

Halldór took over as Prime Minister on 15 September 2004, succeeding Independence Party leader Davíð Oddsson, while Davíð replaced Halldór as Foreign Minister.

On 5 June 2006, following poor results in municipal elections, Halldór announced his resignation as Prime Minister and stated that he intended to step down as leader of the Progressive Party in August 2006. Geir H. Haarde, the Foreign Minister of Iceland, succeeded him on 15 June 2006.

Halldór Ásgrímsson's successor as Progressive Party leader was Jón Sigurðsson, Ministry of Industry, Energy and Tourism, who was elected at the party's convention in August 2006. At the convention Halldór ended his political career with an emotional and dynamic farewell speech to the party. Halldór resigned as MP after the convention; he was the longest serving MP at the time.

On 31 October 2006, Halldór was chosen as the Secretary-General of the Nordic Council of Ministers.

Halldór Ásgrímsson is an Honorary Member of The International Raoul Wallenberg Foundation.

External links

• (English) Halldór´s biography in English (since his tenure as PM)
• Nordic Council of Ministers

Prime Ministers of Iceland Home rule (1904–1918) Hannes Hafstein • Björn Jónsson • Kristján Jónsson • Hannes Hafstein • Sigurður Eggerz • Einar Arnórsson • Jón Magnússon Kingdom of Iceland (1918–1944) Jón Magnússon • Sigurður Eggerz • Jón Magnússon • Magnús Guðmundsson*  • Jón Þorláksson • Tryggvi Þórhallsson • Ásgeir Ásgeirsson • Hermann Jónasson • Ólafur Thors • Björn Þórðarson Republic of Iceland (1944–present) Ólafur Thors • Stefán J. Stefánsson • Ólafur Thors • Steingrímur Steinþórsson • Ólafur Thors • Hermann Jónasson • Emil Jónsson • Ólafur Thors • Bjarni Benediktsson • Jóhann Hafstein • Ólafur Jóhannesson • Geir Hallgrímsson • Ólafur Jóhannesson • Benedikt S. Gröndal • Gunnar Thoroddsen • Steingrímur Hermannsson • Þorsteinn Pálsson • Steingrímur Hermannsson • Davíð Oddsson • Halldór Ásgrímsson • Geir Haarde • Jóhanna Sigurðardóttir * Denotes acting.