Sigríður Ásthildur Andersen (born 21 November 1971) is an Icelandic politician and lawyer who served as the Minister of Justice of Iceland from 2017–2019.[1][2][3] She resigned as minister of justice in March 2019 after the European Court of Human Rights found her appointments of judges to the Icelandic court of appeals to be illegal.[4][5]
Sigríður Á. Andersen | |
|---|---|
 Official portrait, 2017 | |
| Minister of Justice | |
| In office 11 January 2017 – 14 March 2019 | |
| Prime Minister | Bjarni Benediktsson Katrín Jakobsdóttir |
| Preceded by | Ólöf Nordal (Minister of the Interior) |
| Succeeded by | Þórdís Gylfadóttir |
| Member of the Althing | |
| Assumed office 30 November 2024 | |
| Constituency | Reykjavík North |
| In office 26 June 2015 – 25 September 2021 | |
| Constituency | Reykjavík South |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Sigríður Ásthildur Andersen 21 November 1971 Reykjavík, Iceland |
| Political party | Centre (2024–present) |
| Other political affiliations | Independence (2007–2024) |
| Spouse | Glúmur Jón Björnsson |
| Education | Menntaskólinn í Reykjavík |
| Alma mater | University of Iceland |
| Occupation | Lawyer • Politician |
She has been a member of the Icelandic parliament (Althing) for the Independence Party since 2015.[6][7]
Education and career
editSigríður graduated from Reykjavik Junior College in 1991, studied law at the University of Iceland, and became an attorney in 2001.[8] From 1999–2005, she worked as a lawyer at the Icelandic Chamber of Commerce, sat on the Council of District Courts from 2004–2009, and then worked at a private law firm from 2007–2015.[8]
She was a deputy member of parliament for the Independence Party for a short while in 2008 and for a few months in 2012–2015.[8] She then became an elected member of parliament in 2015.[8]
Controversies
editSigríður was a controversial figure during her tenure as Justice Minister.[9] She played a pivotal role in the controversy surrounding the 'restored honour' of a convicted child sex offender which led to the dissolution of the Cabinet of Iceland under prime minister Bjarni Benediktsson in 2017.[10][11]
In 2017, she did not follow the recommendations of a special committee list of the most qualified judges for the newly formed Icelandic court of appeals and instead hand-picked 4 of them, including the wife of fellow Independence Party parliamentarian Brynjar Níelsson.[12] On 12 March 2019, the European Court of Human Rights ruled that the appointments had been made illegally.[13] On 13 March 2019, in the aftermath of the ruling, Sigríður announced that she would resign as Justice Minister.[4]
References
edit- ^ "Sigríður Á. Andersen verður áfram dómsmálaráðherra". Kvennabladid. March 23, 2018. Archived from the original on April 14, 2020. Retrieved March 23, 2018.
- ^ "Rúmlega sjö af hverjum tíu vilja að Sigríður Á. Andersen segi af sér". Kjarninn. February 23, 2018.
- ^ "Um Sigríði – Sigríður Á. Andersen". Sigríður Á. Andersen (in Icelandic). Archived from the original on 2018-11-19. Retrieved 2018-03-23.
- ^ a b Birgir Olgeirsson (13 March 2019). "Sigríður Andersen stígur til hliðar". Vísir.is (in Icelandic). Retrieved 14 March 2019.
- ^ "European Court Of Human Rights Declares Icelandic Judge Appointments Illegal". Grapevine. March 12, 2019.
- ^ "Sigríður Á. Andersen". Alþingi (in Icelandic). Retrieved 2018-03-23.
- ^ "Sigríður Andersen hafnar ásökunum um þöggun: "Ég frábið mér þennan málflutning"". Pressan. September 19, 2017. Archived from the original on March 24, 2018. Retrieved March 23, 2018.
- ^ a b c d "Sigríður Á. Andersen – Short biographies of members of parliament". Alþingi. Retrieved 2019-03-16.
- ^ "Vast Majority Of Icelanders Want Justice Minister To Resign". Grapevine. February 23, 2018.
- ^ "Ótrúlegur ráðherraferill Sigríðar Andersen: Lögbrot, leyndarhyggja og harka gagnvart hælisleitendum". Stundin. Retrieved 2019-03-13.
- ^ "PM's Father Endorsed "Restored Honour" For Convicted Paedophile". Grapevine. September 14, 2017.
- ^ "Sigríður Andersen braut lög þegar hún handvaldi dómara í Landsrétt". Stundin. September 15, 2017.
- ^ "MDE segir Landsrétt ólöglega skipaðan". RÚV. 12 March 2019.