Ástþór Magnússon
Born (1953-08-04) 4 August 1953
Reykjavík, Iceland
Occupation(s)Businessman, peace activist
SpouseNatalia Wium

Ástþór Magnússon Wium (born 4 August 1953) is an Icelandic businessman and peace activist, who is best known for being the founder of the first credit card company in Iceland and as a perennial candidate for the office of President of Iceland.

Background and education

After finishing the landspróf (national examination), Ástþór studied at the Commercial College of Iceland before moving to the United Kingdom in order to study commercial photography and marketing at the Medway College of Art and Design.[1]

Business career

Ástþór brought Eurocard to Iceland in 1979, making it the first credit card company operating in Iceland. The success of Eurocard made him financially independent.[1]

Political career

Ástþór unsuccessfully campaigned for the post of President of Iceland four times: in 1996, 2004, 2012 and 2016. In 2000, he failed to get the necessary 1,500 signatures and therefore was not on the ballot. On 1 June 2012, his candidacy was revoked because he had failed to obtain the mandatory certificate from the senior electoral officer in the Northwest constituency; as he was the only challenger in 2000, this meant that the sitting President Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson was re-elected unopposed.[2] Ástþór was the founder and chairperson of the Democracy Movement, a political party founded in 1998 for the purpose of promoting direct democracy and e-democracy. The party folded after the 2009 general elections. He also founded the peace movement Peace2000.

In 1996, he distributed the book The Use of Bessastaðir to every household in Iceland.[3]

On 3 January 2024, Ástþór announced that he would run for President for the sixth time.[4]

Personal life

Ástþór is married to the Russian-born lawyer Natalia Wium.[5]

References

  1. 1 2 Þóra Kristín Ásgeirsdóttir (9 March 1995). "Athafnaskáld & ævintýramaður". Helgarpósturinn (in Icelandic). pp. 20–21. Retrieved 3 January 2024 – via Tímarit.is.Open access icon
  2. ↑ "Business magazine - Ástthór: Bring the credit cards to Iceland". vb.is (in Icelandic). Archived from the original on 29 June 2012.
  3. ↑ Brynjólfur Þór Guðmundsson (2 January 2024). "Fyrstu frambjóðendurnir eru sjaldnast líklegir til stórræða". RÚV (in Icelandic). Retrieved 3 January 2024.
  4. ↑ Bjarki Sigurðsson (3 January 2024). "Ástþór Magnússon býður sig fram til forseta Íslands". Vísir.is (in Icelandic). Retrieved 3 January 2024.
  5. ↑ Sunna Valgerðardóttir (21 May 2016). "Tíu staðreyndir um Ástþór Magnússon". Kjarninn (in Icelandic). Retrieved 3 January 2024.
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