Willum Þór Þórsson is seriously weighing a bid for the chairmanship of the Progressive Party, MBL reports. It comes just months after he was elected president of the Sports and Olympic Association of Iceland this spring — a high-profile win in its own right. He admits the timing is far from ideal, but says encouragement from party members has been hard to ignore.
Current chairman Sigurður Ingi Jóhannsson has said he will step down at the upcoming party congress, bringing a nine-year run at the top to a close.
Speaking to Morgunblaðið, Willum was candid about the pull he feels. “Despite the awkward timing, I feel it’s crucial to consider this opportunity,” he said. “I never sought this position; now, I’m working to align myself with its demands.”
Willum’s political record is substantial. He sat in parliament for the Progressive Party from 2013 to 2016, returned for another stretch from 2017 to 2024, and served as Minister of Health from 2021 until recently. He did not win a seat in the last general election.
