Davíð Oddsson

Davíð Oddsson ( born January 17, 1948 in Reykjavík ) is an Icelandic politician.

He was the 14th Prime Minister of Iceland ( forsætisráðherra ) since independence on 17 June 1944, and was from 2005 to 2009 head of the Icelandic Central Bank. Since September 2009 he has been editor of a major Icelandic newspaper, Morgunblaðið. He belongs to the Independence Party on ( Sjálfstæðisflokkur ).

Life

On May 27, 1982, he was Mayor of Reykjavík and remained until 16 July 1991 this office.

Prime Minister of Iceland (1991-2004)

After the parliamentary elections in Iceland in 1991, which brought the victory of David's Independence Party, he formed a coalition with the Social Democratic Party and sparked Steingrímur Hemm from the Office of the Icelandic Prime Minister.

In the parliamentary elections in Iceland 1995, the Independence party lost one seat in parliament, but still remained the strongest party; Davíð then decided to end the collaboration with the Social Democratic Party, which had lost three seats in the election, and to form a government with the strengthened Progress Party.

After the parliamentary elections in Iceland 1999, which brought forth strengthened the independence party, led Davíð on this coalition.

Following the resignation of Þorsteinn Pálsson as Fisheries Minister Davíð took over this department a short time between 11 May 1999 to 28 May 1999.

After his re-election in 2003, which brought in significant losses for David's party, was negotiated that he gives his office to his deputy Halldór Ásgrímsson coalition partner of the Progress Party ( Framsóknarflokkurinn ) in the fall of 2004.

Towards the end of his tenure, he ran into political difficulties. For the first time in the history of Iceland refused the President Ólafur Ragnar Grimsson his signature on a bill that had been passed by a majority of the coalition of Prime Minister. Even his health makes him create, so that it has two major surgeries had to undergo. On 15 September 2004 he moved to the post of foreign minister. On 7 September 2005 Davíð announced to give up his political office and want to switch to the top of the Icelandic Central Bank. His successor as Secretary of State Office, as party chairman, and finally as Prime Minister Geir Haarde was.

Central bank chief

As a central banker, he fell during the financial crisis in 2008, widespread criticism after the value of the Icelandic krona had more than halved within a few days in October 2008, Iceland was on the verge of bankruptcy. On several demonstrations his resignation and that of the Government Geir Haarde was demanded. The new Prime Minister Jóhanna Sigurðardóttir called on 2 February 2009, one day after taking office, Oddsson to resign. This, however, refused to decide. Therefore, the new government was forced to change the laws to the Icelandic Central Bank to remove Oddsson from office. Among other things, the number of " governors " of three was limited to a plus deputy and the head of the Central Bank of Iceland must continue to show a university degree in a business-related subject. On 26 February 2009 Oddsson was removed from his position and used the following day, the Norwegian economist Svein Harald Øygard as the new central bank governor.

Political positions

, David Oddsson, has supported the U.S. during their missions in Afghanistan and Iraq, despite criticism from the Icelandic population. The EU, he is critical of.

Author

In addition to his political work Davíð wrote stage plays, poems and short stories. For example, the book Nokkrir góðir dagar án Guðnýjar 1996. It was published in 2001 in German translation as Beautiful day without Gudny.

Publications

• Nokkrir góðir dagar án Guðnýjar, short stories, 1996 ( German: Beautiful days without Gudny, Steidl, 2001, ISBN 3-88243-784-7 )