Ólafur Samúel Rínarson

*This name uses Velkanian naming customs; the last name is a matronymic, not a family name. This person should be properly referred to by the given name* Ólafur.

 **Children** | 2

**Ólafur Samúel Rínarson** (born 30 September 1976) is a Velkanian politician who has served as a member of the Orthing since 2018. He is a member of the Reform Party.

Born to a single mother in Húbær, Ólafur graduated from upper secondary school in 1996, and afterwards graduated with a degree in political science from the University of Húbær in 1999. After graduating, Ólafur was hired as an administrator at the public works department for the municipal government of Húbær. In 2006, he became deputy director of the department, later becoming director in 2010. In 2016, he was elected to the Húbær municipal council for the Reform Party, becoming the first member of the party to hold elected office. He later entered national politics in 2018, after he was elected to the Orthing in the 2018 election.

## Early life and education

Ólafur was born on 30 September 1976 in Húbær to single mother Rín María Friðriksdattir (born 1953). His mother was not in a relationship with his father, and he has only met his father a handful of times throughout his early childhood. He was raised by his mother, who worked as a preschool teacher, and his maternal grandparents, who were both retired primary school teachers. Ólafur grew up as an only child.

Ólafur began his education in 1982, attending a local, public primary school in Húbær. He graduated from primary school in 1992, and afterwards enrolled in Húbær Junior College to study a social sciences program, graduating in 1996. He subsequently enrolled in the Faculty of Social Sciences at the University of Húbær, graduating with a degree in political science in 1999.

## Government career

While a university student, Ólafur had a year-long internship at the Húbær municipal department of public works. After graduating with his degree in 1999, he was hired for a full-time position in the department, working as a low-level administrator. In 2006, he was promoted to deputy director of the department; in this position, he served directly under the department's director.

Ólafur was promoted to department director in 2014, giving him oversight over the entire department in regard to the public works projects of the municipality of Húbær.

## Political career

### Municipal politics

Ólafur registered with the Reform Party in 2015, and was selected to serve as their only candidate in the upcoming 2016 local elections for the Húbær municipal council. Ólafur ultimately won a seat on the council, becoming the first Reform Party candidate to be elected to office in the Velkanian Isles.

Upon his election, Ólafur entered into the governing coalition along with the Social Democratic Party, which was considered controversial within the Reform Party. However, upon entering the governing coalition, the municipal council ultimately selected the Reform Party-endorsed Dagmar Jórunn Freyrsdattir as mayor, which was said to have won Ólafur admiration within the Reform Party. He resigned from the municipal council in 2018, two years into his four-year term, in order to enter national politics.

### Member of parliament

In 2018, Ólafur was included on the Reform Party electoral list for the 2018 general election. He ultimately was elected to the Orthing, resigning his seat in the municipal council after his election.

## Personal life

Ólafur began a relationship with Velkanian personal trainer Ingibjörg Ólafsdattir in 2006. They became engaged in 2009, and later married the following year. Ólafur and Ingibjörg have two daughters together: Ásta, born  (2008-05-18) 18 May 2008 (age 15), and Unnur, born  (2013-07-29) 29 July 2013 (age 10). The family lives in Húbær, while Ólafur also rents an apartment in Narísandur for parliamentary business.