Word: icelanders
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...sworn in as the new U.S. President last week, Americans made much of the fact that he was the country's first black Commander in Chief. On Saturday, when Jóhanna Siguršardóttir takes over as Prime Minister of the small (pop. 320,000) nation of Iceland, she will become the world's first openly gay female head of government - and Icelanders are hardly batting...
...Perhaps it's because they have more serious matters to worry about. Siguršardóttir's appointment comes at a watershed time for Iceland. The country's economy has been hammered by the global downturn, its banks have been nationalized, and violent street protests have just led to the resignation of the previous government. (See pictures of the global financial crisis...
...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...
...Iceland Banks Fail; Government Follows After months of protests triggered by the collapse of Iceland's economy amid the global financial crisis, its government finally joined suit on Jan. 26. It has been replaced by a new left-leaning coalition that is expected to tap Johanna Sigurdardottir to take the helm. The 66-year-old Social Affairs Minister would become the world's first openly gay woman to serve as head of state...