Word: iceland
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Dates: during 2000-2009
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...While the Prime Minister's political track record and personal history have clearly garnered the nation's attention, her sexual orientation has raised relatively few eyebrows. Although Icelandic social policy is among the most progressive in the world - with provisions for marriage and adoption rights for same-sex couples - Siguršardóttir maintains a decidedly low public profile with her civil partner of six years Jónína Leósdóttir, a noted journalist and playwright. "Being gay is not an issue in Iceland," explains Frosti Jónsson, chairman of Iceland...
...Things are so bad that Iceland, which had previously stayed out of the European Union to protect its rich fishing grounds from other European fleets, is now likely to be fast-tracked into the powerful regional group. The E.U. says Iceland's application for membership could be expedited - with entry, which normally takes years and sometimes decades, as soon as 2011. E.U. membership is widely viewed by Icelanders as an economic lifesaver...
...Siguršardóttir, who was the Minister of Social Affairs in the outgoing government, boasts the highest approval ratings among Icelandic ministers, according to recent opinion polls. "She's a good choice," says Björn Björnsson, 26, a Web editor who lost his job during the nation's financial collapse. "She's one of our most experienced politicians, and through this crisis she has shown nothing but integrity and concern for the public. Iceland needs someone we can trust again, and she's earned my trust...
...longest-sitting MP in Iceland, with three decades in Parliament and four stints as Minister of Social Affairs, Siguršardóttir has gained a reputation for voicing support for social issues such as gender equality, a robust welfare system and rights for the disabled and elderly. Fellow MP Ágúst Einarsson went as far as to call her "socialism incarnate." Firmly planted in left-of-center politics, the new Minister reflects the nation's postmeltdown retreat from the right, as demonstrated in recent polling data...
...think she's going to be the country's savior," says Einar Magnússon, a 34-year-old electrician, "but after the condescension and sheer arrogance we've seen in the outgoing leadership, it's refreshing to hear someone real talk to us." (Watch a TIME video, "In Iceland, Frozen Accounts, Boiling Assets...