Hanna Birna Has Quit Politics

Former Minister of the Interior Hanna Birna Kristjánsdóttir has announced she will not be running for parliament this autumn.

RÚV reports that Hanna Birna, who is currently an MP for the Independence Party, has issued a statement to the press announcing that she will not run for parliament when elections are held at some point this autumn.

In her statement, Hanna Birna says she “believes it’s time to use my experience, energy and work ethic outside of politics.” She intends to finish her term, and thanks everyone for supporting her.

Hanna Birna was once Minister of the Interior, but would resign in November 2014, one year and one day after her ministry leaked a memo to select members of the press containing falsehoods and misinformation about Nigerian asylum seeker Tony Omos.

Her resignation came just days after her former assistant, Gísli Freyr Valdórsson, was found guilty of breach of confidentiality for his part in the matter and numerous Icelanders protested in front of parliament to specifically call for her resignation.

The political pressure put on journalists trying to cover the story evoked harsh criticism from the International Press Institute and Reporters Without Borders.

One month after her resignation, Hanna Birna was replaced by current Minister of the Interior Ólöf Nordal.