Iceland’s President Has Donated Millions From Own Pay To Charity

Over the past year, President Guðni Th. Jóhannesson has donated about 4 million ISK to charity after getting a pay rise last year that he never asked for.

As reported last year, Iceland’s President received a pay rise of about half a million ISK, taking it from 2.5 million ISK to 2.985 million ISK. Guðni went on the record to let the public know that this rise was not granted at his behest.

“I didn’t ask for this pay rise,” the President said at the time. “I didn’t know about this pay rise. I don’t need this pay rise. Many MPs have expressed their opposition to the Wage Committee’s decision. I expect that parliament will review this decision.”

The President added he would be donating the difference to charity, and RÚV reports that he has kept his word. Guðni has, in fact, donated about 300,000 ISK to charity every month since November 2016.

By contrast, the Bishop of Iceland, Agnes Sigurðardóttir, did request a raise this year, and received it. Her raise totals 270,000 ISK – the average minimum wage for most workers in Iceland – and she now makes 1.55 million ISK per month. She will also receive a one-time retroactive payment of 3.24 million ISK.

It is unknown how much of her salary, if any, she denotes to charity.