Global equality champion Iceland set to elect woman as president
Iceland, the world's most gender equal country, is set to elect a woman as president for the second time in its history.
Lok Sabha Exit Poll Results 2024 Live Updates
Polling stations across the north Atlantic island are opening on Saturday to choose a successor to Gudni Th Johannesson, who is stepping down after two terms. The candidate who wins the most votes will become head of state in the single round election, and serve for four years.
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Two women are neck-and-neck in polls. Katrin Jakobsdottir, who resigned as prime minister to run for president, faces competition from Halla Tomasdottir, an equality advocate with private equity background. Halla Hrund Logadottir, director general of the National Energy Authority has in recent polls fallen to third place. The ballots open at 9 a.m. local time and close at 10 p.m., with first results expected soon after polling stations close and a conclusive outcome in the hours that follow.
Iceland has the smallest measured gender gap in the world and a strong history of female empowerment, with women famously going on strike every few years to protest against the remaining inequalities in their society. The country made history in 1980, when Vigdis Finnbogadottir became the first woman to be elected president in the world. She went on to serve a total of four terms.
Male heads for over 28 years
After her, for the past 28 years, Iceland has been led by male heads of state. While the president's
