Iceland elect historian as new president

Icelanders elected historian and political newcomer Gudni Johannesson on Saturday as their first new president in 20 years, amid distrust of politicians and business leaders after the 2008 global financial crisis and the Panama papers scandal.

The final count showed 39 percent of Icelanders voted for Johannesson as president, public broadcaster RUV reported.

“All the votes have not been counted, but I think we have won,” Johannesson told supporters after 32% of ballots had been counted.

Johannesson, a 47-year-old history professor and political commentator who has no party affiliation, was trailed by businesswoman Halla Tomasdottir, also non-partisan, who was credited with 29.9% of votes.

David Oddsson, a former conservative prime minister and central bank governor who had been Johannesson’s closest rival throughout most of the campaign, was on 13.2% of votes.

The role of president is largely ceremonial, acting as a guarantor of the constitution and national unity, and does carry powers to block legislation.

Johannesson dominated the election campaign from the start, riding a wave of anti-establishment sentiment after the Panama Papers scandal in April tarnished some of the country’s political elite. The leaked documents, which detailed offshore accounts, implicated several senior Icelandic politicians, including the prime minister who was forced to resign amid public outrage.

Icelanders’ faith in authorities was also shaken by years of austerity measures and capital controls, which were imposed to restore a shattered economy after the country's largest banks collapsed in 2008 during the global financial crisis.

Throughout the campaign, Johannesson emphasised his independent vision of the presidency, appealing to voters with his calm nature and consensus-oriented approach, and vowing to restore their faith in the political system.

In his campaign, he advocated a constitutional clause allowing citizen-initiated referendums over parliamentary bills, saying it would help ensure the nation always had the final say in the largest issues affecting it.

Johannesson, a lecturer at the University of Iceland who has said he has never been a member of a political party, will take office on Aug. 1.

President Olafur Grimsson, 73, who has served five straight four-year terms, had been ahead in polls until May, when he withdrew his candidacy after leaked documents called the Panama papers showed his wife had links to offshore accounts.

Grimsson had begun his candidacy citing a need for stability after then-Prime Minister Sigmundur Gunnlaugsson resigned in 2015 when the Panama papers showed he also had owned an offshore company in a tax haven together with his wife.

Neither Gunnlaugsson nor Grimsson have been accused of doing anything illegal related to the offshore dealings. But the links still raised ire among many Icelanders, sparking demonstrations in the capital.