Oddsson addressing in 2016 a meeting celebrating 25 years since Iceland renewed her recognition of the Baltic countries.
The most successful Icelandic politician of all time, Davíd Oddsson, passed away on 1 March 2026. He was Mayor of Reykjavik for 9 years, Prime Minister for almost 14 years, Foreign Minister for a year, Governor of the Central Bank of Iceland for four years, and Chief Editor of Morgunbladid, the only remaining daily in Iceland, for almost 17 years, from 2009 to his death. No Icelandic politician has done more to increase individual freedom and protect citizens’ rights against the state. On the day of Davíd’s funeral, 13 March, Morgunbladid printed many articles about him, including a long one by one of his closest friends, Hannes H. Gissurarson, Professor Emeritus of Politics at the University of Iceland. Hannes offered three explanations of Davíd’s great success as a politician. First, the circumstances worked in his favour, he was the right man at the right time, riding on the same wave as Thatcher in Great Britain and Reagan in the United States. Secondly, his political views were deeply rooted in the Icelandic national spirit; he was an extraordinary man with ordinary beliefs. Thirdly, he had the personal qualities of an effective politician. He had great charisma, and he was, in Machiavelli’s phrase, brave as a lion and sly as a fox. From the beginning, he was seen as a born leader. Hannes also published two articles in The Conservative on Davíd, an obituary, and a defence of his legacy on the occasion of leftist attacks.
Davíd was given a full state funeral in Hallgrímskirkja in Reykjavík, with a sermon delivered by the Rev. Geir Waage (the father-in-law of Davíd’s son Thorsteinn, a judge in the Reykjavík District Court). The ten pallbearers were (from right): Davíd’s loyal supporter, businessman Kjartan Gunnarsson; Davíd’s schoolmate and friend, the poet Thórarinn Eldjárn; Davíd’s loyal supporter, businessman Thórólfur Gíslason; Davíd’s colleague at Morgunbladid, Editor Haraldur Johannessen; Hannes H. Gissurarson; the surgeon Eiríkur Jónsson, who successfully treated Davíd for cancer; Davíd’s former adviser on international affairs, Albert Jónsson; Davíd’s cousin, Supreme Court Judge Ólafur Börkur Thorvaldsson; Central Bank Governor Dr. Ásgeir Jónsson; and Davíd’s loyal supporter, businessman Gunnlaugur Sævar Gunnlaugsson. Immediately following them were Davíd’s widow, Ástrídur Thorarensen, and their son, Thorsteinn Davídsson.
