Ögmundur Jónasson
The Hon. Ögmundur Jónasson was born 17 July 1948. He is an Icelandic politician and historian. He was appointed Minister of Health in 2009, and returned to the Cabinet in 2011 to head the newly created Ministry of the Interior. He has been a member of Iceland’s Parliament ‘Althing’ since 1995.
Biography
In 1995, and until 2003, Mr. Jónasson was Member of Althingi for the Reykjavík Constituency. From 2003 to 2007 was Member for the Reykjavík South Constituency and for the Southwest Constituency since 2007. Mr. Jónasson served as Chairman of the Non-Aligned Parliamentary group from 1998 to 1999, and subsequently became the Chairman of the Left Green Movement’s Parliamentary group from 1999 to 2009. In 2009 he also became Minister of Health and Social Security. In 2010, he was appointed Minister of Justice and Human Rights and Minister of Transport, Communications, and Local Government. From 2011 to 2013 Mr. Jónasson was elected Minister of the Interior Since 2013 he became a Member of the Constitutional and Supervisory Committee and Member of the Icelandic delegation to the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly.
Jónasson became Member of the General Affairs Committee on 1995–1997,, 1998–1999 and 2009-2010. For one year (1995-1996) he was a Member of the Health and Social Security Committee. In 1997 he also became Member of the Social Affairs Committee. He was Member of the Althingi Special Committee on Constitutional Affairs 1999-2003, 2004 and 2005-2007 and Member of the Credentials Committee 1999-2007. In 1999 he also became Member of the Icelandic Delegation to the EFTA and EEA Parliamentary Committees.
From 2009 to 2010 he was Member of the Foreign Affairs Committee, Member of the Environment Committee and Member of the Fisheries and Agriculture Committee. From 1999 to 2007 he was Member of the Economy and Trade Committee and from 2007 to 2010, Member of the Economy and Taxation Committee.
Education
Jónasson completed his studies at the University of Edinburgh in Scotland. Following graduation, he started his career in Journalism & Broadcasting and worked in Edinburgh for nearly 10 years before moving to Copenhagen to gain more experience in the field. Mr. Jónasson then returned to Iceland to pursue a political career.
