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.
Ástþór Magnússon | |
|---|---|
| Born | 4 August 1953 Reykjavík, Iceland |
| Occupation(s) | Businessman, peace activist |
| Spouse | Natalia Wium |
Background and education edit
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 edit
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 edit
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 On 1 June 2012, his candidacy was revoked because he had failed to obtain the mandatory certificate from the senior electoral officer in the Northwest constituency; as he was the only challenger in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]
Ástþór has at various points been critical of the foreign policy of the United States, particularly during the Iraq War, which he vehemently opposed.[4] In later years, Ástþór has frequently taken a pro-Russia stance in various disputes between Russia and the Western world. Notably, he expressed support for Russia's annexation of Crimea in 2014 and suggested that Russian President Vladimir Putin should have been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for arranging it.[5] Ástþór has been critical of international sanctions placed on Russia in wake of the invasion of Ukraine, and in 2023 he argued that the sanctions constituted an act of genocide against Russian people.[6]
On 3 January 2024, Ástþór announced that he would run for President for the sixth time.[7]
Personal life edit
Ástþór is married to the Russian-born lawyer Natalia Wium.[8]
References edit
- ^ a b Þóra Kristín Ásgeirsdóttir (9 March 1995). "Athafnaskáld & ævintýramaður". Helgarpósturinn (in Icelandic). pp. 20–21. Retrieved 3 January 2024 – via Tímarit.is.
- ^ "Business magazine - Ástthór: Bring the credit cards to Iceland". vb.is (in Icelandic). Archived from the original on 29 June 2012.
- ^ Brynjólfur Þór Guðmundsson (2 January 2024). "Fyrstu frambjóðendurnir eru sjaldnast líklegir til stórræða". RÚV (in Icelandic). Retrieved 3 January 2024.
- ^ Ástþór Magnússon (22 April 2022). "Er mamma sölumaður dauðans?". Vísir.is. Retrieved 24 January 2024.
- ^ Kolbeinn Tumi Daðason (20 March 2014). "Skora á Alþingi að virða niðurstöðuna á Krímskaga". Vísir.is. Retrieved 24 January 2024.
- ^ Ástþór Magnússon (2 November 2023). "Styður héraðsdómur þjóðarmorð?". Vísir.is. Retrieved 18 March 2024.
- ^ Bjarki Sigurðsson (3 January 2024). "Ástþór Magnússon býður sig fram til forseta Íslands". Vísir.is (in Icelandic). Retrieved 3 January 2024.
- ^ Sunna Valgerðardóttir (21 May 2016). "Tíu staðreyndir um Ástþór Magnússon". Kjarninn (in Icelandic). Retrieved 3 January 2024.
