Ólöf Nordal is new Minister of the Interior

Ólöf Nordal has been appointed Minister of the Interior to replace Hanna Birna Kristjánsdóttir who resigned last month. This was announced at an Independent Party meeting this morning following a statement to the press by Minister of Finance and leader of the Independance Party Bjarni Benediktsson. Benediktsson also stated that he had offered the Ministry to Einar K.Guðfinnsson, Speaker of Althingi but following several meetings, Guðfinnsson declined. 

Nordal will also become Minister of Justice, a Ministry which was moved to the Prime Ministry last summer according to the wishes of Kristjánsdóttir in the midst of the investigation into the Tony Omos case, a case which led to Kristjánsdóttir's resignation last month. 

Nordal, who is a lawyer, was the deputy leader of the Independance Party between 2010-2013 and a former member of Parliament. She has an MBA degree from the University of Reykjavik and has had an extensive career in finance, teaching, politics and administration. She has a husband and four children and has been open about the fact that she was diagnosed with cancer last summer and went through surgery and chemotherapy. In an interview with mbl.is last week she said that treatment had gone successfully and that she wanted to get back to work. "I'm positive and optimistic towards the future," she said.

Benediktsson said that he was extremely happy with this conclusion. "We have an extremely capable woman,  a member of the Independance Party, for the Ministry and I think the Government will benefit and grow stronger."