Iceland gets first lesbian Prime Minister

Reykjavik, Feb 2: Johanna Sigurdardottir was named the head of Iceland's new left-wing coalition government on Sunday, Feb 1. She became the country's first woman prime minister and the world's first openly gay head of govt in modern times.

Sigurdardottir, 66 year-old is Iceland's most experience politicians. She served as minister as minister of social affairs in the outgoing govt and is known as a champion of social causes, earning her the nickname Saint Johanna among her peers and the public.

While she has never hidden her sexuality, she is very private about her personal life and has never discussed it in public. Many Icelanders only learned of her homosexuality when her name emerged as the possible future premier.

She married her companion, Jonina Ledsdottir, a 54-year-old writer, in 2002. Her first job was as a flight attendant, from 1962 to 1971, before she stepped into the political fray and became a member of parliament in 1978.

She became social affairs minister in July 1987, a post she held until June 1994. She resumed the position again after the last general election in May 2007, and held it until the government resigned on Jan 26.

She served as a member of the board of the Commercial Workers Union from 1976 until 1983, and was vice chairman of the Social Democratic Party from 1984 until 1993.

In 1994 she failed in her bid for the party leadership, saying at the time, "My time will come."

OneIndia News (With inputs from Agencies)