Two substitute members took a seat in Parliament on behalf of the Pirate Party today, Gunnhildur Fríða Hallgrímsdóttir and Lenya Rún Taha Karim. On this occasion, Gunnhildur Fríða became the youngest person ever to take a seat in Alþingi, at 19 years and 241 days of age. The former record belonged to Karl Liljendal Hólmgeirsson who was 20 years and 355 days old when he took a seat in Parliament in 2018.
Gunnhildur is known for her fight for climate issues and the new constitution but she is a substitute member of Parliament for Björn Leví Gunnarsson.
Lenya Rún Taha Karim made headlines earlier this year when early vote tallies indicated that she was to become the youngest elected member of Parliament in Icelandic history. Following a controversial recount in the northwest constituency, she became the Pirate Party’s first substitute MP instead. She is taking her seat in Parliament for the first time, substituting MP Andrés Ingi Jónsson.
The youngest elected MP was Jóhanna María Sigmundsdóttir, born 1991 and elected to Parliament in 2013 for the Progressive party at 21 years and 303 days old.