Reykjavík Grapevine - 16.06.2016, Page 25

Guðni Th. Jóhannesson,
historian
Does Iceland even need the
office of the presidency?
Why or why not?
The President of Iceland is
the country’s head of state.
We always need someone to
fulfill that role. True, the
president of the Althing
could do that but Icelanders
still seem to think that we
need someone outside the
political field to act as head
of state. Furthermore, the
president can play an im-
portant part in the political
process, for instance in the
formation of governments,
which can be a complicated
task in Iceland. Finally, the
president can and should
act as a symbol of unity,
encouraging us to realize
what makes us a nation,
what ties us together, and
how we can and should im-
prove our society.
Do you ever get anxious
about the prospect of
having to balance your
family life with the
demands of the office?
No. Conversely, I am con-
vinced that if I am elected
we Icelanders would show
the world that we have
created a strong, family-
friendly society here where
everyone is able to do well
in the workplace but at the
same time be able to spend
sufficient time with chil-
dren and family.
Do you support a new
constitutional amendment
that would establish term
limits for the presidency?
I am not against that. I
think no president should
be at Bessastaðir for more
than three terms.
Do you support a new
constitution for Iceland in
the general sense?
The people of Iceland de-
cide, not the President.
If the voters want a new
constitution, they vote for
those who favour that move
in parliamentary elections.
The Althing can change the
constitution, not the Presi-
dent. Having said that, I am
in favour of certain changes
to the constitution, in par-
ticular provisions on direct
democracy, environmen-
tal protection and national
custody of natural resourc-
es. Furthermore, as a histo-
rian I have probably written
more than others on the
obvious fact that those who
wrote the constitution of
Iceland in the early 1940s
felt that it should be funda-
mentally revised as soon as
possible.
Would you see yourself as
a sort of "figurehead" kind
of president, or would you
see yourself as a politically
active one? If politically
active, in what ways would
you engage politically? If a
figurehead, what are your
reasons for that choice?
The President stands out-
side and above all political
groups and parties. In that
sense, he or she should be
nonpolitical. I would be ac-
tive in the political field if
needed, however, for in-
stance in the process of
forming governments and
refusing to sign laws, thus
allowing the voters to have
the final word in a referen-
dum. I would also use the
indirect influence and pow-
ers of the presidency to en-
sure that on various politi-
cal issues all opinions and
voices will be heard.
Do you believe in human-
caused climate change?
Yes. I believe the experts
and scientific proof.
Do you support separation
of church and state, as 71%
of Icelanders said they do in
the last opinion poll taken
on this topic?
This is something for the
voters and Parliament to
decide. As for myself, I am
not a member of the state
church in Iceland, and as
President I would neither
work against or for the sep-
aration of church and state.
Name three things
you would bring to the
presidency that none of the
other candidates would.
Each of us has strengths
and weaknesses. In my
campaign I have focused on
my message and my vision
of the office. As a historian
I would bring to the presi-
dency a strong knowledge
of the office and its history.
As someone who has never
taken part in party politics,
I would bring a sense of ob-
jectivity and fairness in the
political field. And since my
wife Eliza is from Canada, I
would bring a strong under-
standing of the challenges
and difficulties which
foreign-born persons face
when they move to Iceland
and are determined to make
their way and contribute to
society here.
Ástþór Magnússon,
entrepreneur and peace
activist
Does Iceland even need the
office of the presidency?
Why or why not?
Iceland has never had any
military of its own or ar-
maments industry. The
Icelandic parliament Alth-
ing is the oldest working
democratic assembly in the
world. At a meeting at the
Althing in the year 1000
a civil war was averted in
Iceland by reaching a con-
sensus on religious toler-
ance. Iceland should build
on this heritage and become
a world peace state with the
President of Iceland an ad-
vocate of world peace. How
the Icelanders adverted a
civil war over religious is-
sues is an important mes-
sage at this time when the
world is facing challenges
regarding how to resolve
peacefully clashes of reli-
gious and cultural differ-
ences. Thirty years ago at
the Reykjavík summit lead-
ers of the USA and Soviet
Union met and this was an
important step to end the
Cold War. We need another
Reykjavík summit now that
there is increased military
buildup to find a peaceful
way forward for Europe and
the world. The President of
Iceland could lead such an
initiative.
Do you ever get anxious
about the prospect of
having to balance your
family life with the demands
of the office?
No.
Do you support a new
constitutional amendment
that would establish term
limits for the presidency?
Yes.
Do you support a new
constitution for Iceland in
the general sense?
Most important is that we
respect the constitution
and that law and society op-
erate fully within its frame-
work. Certain parts of the
constitution may need to be
updated.
Would you see yourself as
a sort of "figurehead" kind
of president, or would you
see yourself as a politically
active one? If politically
active, in what ways would
you engage politically? If a
figurehead, what are your
reasons for that choice?
The Icelandic President
should stay alert to protect
the citizens from the abuse
of political power. If a law
is being passed that goes
against the constitution or
the interest of the general
public the President should
be ready to bring such law
to the attention of people to
have their say in a national
referendum.
Do you believe in human-
caused climate change?
Yes, we have to be alert to
respect the boundaries of
nature.
Do you support separation
of church and state, as 71%
of Icelanders said they do in
the last opinion poll taken
on this topic?
Yes, the Icelandic church is
strong and does not need to
be a part of the government
structure.
Name three things
you would bring to the
presidency that none of the
other candidates would.
I am completely indepen-
dent of any political connec-
tions and as such will oper-
ate only with the interest of
the general public at heart.
I would work towards
making Iceland a peace
state, and build up a new
industry in Iceland for pro-
moting peace, human rights
and protecting our environ-
ment. I would want Iceland
to become the home of the
UN peacekeeping opera-
tions, the Security Council
and the General Assembly.
The UN needs a more neu-
tral meeting place. Iceland
is perfect.
I would convene and
promote peace meetings
at Harpa in Reykjavík and
try to resolve the issues in
Ukraine, the issues rising
between NATO and Russia
and issues in the Middle
East. It is essential we re-
solve these issues. It is wor-
rying how much talk there
is about a war breaking
out and we need to put the
dialogue into a more peace-
ful direction. The Reykja-
vík summit 30 years ago
marked the end of the Cold
War, I want a series of meet-
ings now to stop all talk and
actions towards a new war.
Andri Snær Magnason, author
Does Iceland even need the
Office of the Presidency?
Why or why not?
Well—the president can
deny laws and call for a na-
tional referendum—so he
has a role, he can raise im-
portant issues—work on a
broad level within Iceland
and abroad. A creative per-
son can do interesting and
important things in this of-
fice.
Do you ever get anxious
about the prospect of
having to balance your
family life with the demands
of the office?
I am always balancing my
family life with my old job.
Do you support a new
constitutional amendment
that would establish term
limits for the presidency?
Yes indeed.
Do you support a new
constitution for Iceland in
the general sense?
I really think that the initia-
tive of writing the new con-
stitution was a great project
that should be finished and
cherished. We have the op-
portunity to shine—so why
not shine?
Would you see yourself as
a sort of "figurehead" kind
of president, or would you
see yourself as a politically
active one? If politically
active, in what ways would
you engage politically? If a
figurehead, what are your
reasons for that choice?
I would not be political in
the way that I would go
against the government,
political still in the way of
taking part in creating the
larger picture, work with
our identity, talk about en-
vironmental issues on the
large scale. Connect people,
but issues on the agenda,
stand firmly on human
rights, women’s rights and
other issues that need prog-
ress.
Do you believe in human-
caused climate change?
Why is this question still
being asked? Why not ask if
the earth is flat?
Do you support separation
of church and state, as 71%
of Icelanders said they do in
the last opinion poll taken
on this topic?
We should vote on this. The
state church is not a spe-
cial worry. It is one of the
most liberal churches in the
world.
Name three things
you would bring to the
presidency that none of the
other candidates would.
I would have environmental
issues on the agenda, the
new constitution and lit-
eracy.
ALL THE
PRESIDENTS
ALL THE
PRESIDENTS