Educated as a theologian he graduated with honours from the University of Iceland in Reykjavik in 1915, but was considered too young to be ordained as a minister. He was elected to the Althing in 1923 at the age of 29 for the Progressive Party. He spoke as the president of the Althing at Thingvellir on the occasion of the Althing's 1000th anniversary celebrations in 1930, and became Minister of Finance in 1931 and Prime Minister in 1932. He left the Progressive Party in 1934, but stood for election as an independent, and remained in the Althing until 1952, when he was elected the second President of Iceland. He was re-elected unopposed in 1956, 1960, and 1964.
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Preceded by: Sveinn Björnsson | Presidents of Iceland |
Succeeded by: Kristján Eldjárn |