Hildegard Kristófersdætr

*This is a Velkanian name. The last name is a patronymic, not a family name. The subject should be referred to by the given name* Hildegard*.*

**Hildegard Kristófersdætr** (born 14 October 1972) is a Velkanian politician who has served as Leader of the Left Party since 2011. She has additionally served as a member of the Stádlink since 2002.

Born to a Velkanian father and Hartish mother in Naríthjábæk, Hildegard graduated from Naríthjábæk Academy in 1992. After graduating, she enrolled in the University of Velkania, and graduated with a degree in sociology in 1995. After finishing her education, Hildegard began working for a number of nonprofit organizations, specifically Project Rainbow, an international organization dedicated to the advancement of LGBT rights. Hildegard was elected to the Stádlink for the Left Party in the 2002 snap election, representing the Capital Region constituency. In 2011, she was nominated by the party to become the next party leader, and took office that November.

## Early life and education

Hildegard was born on 14 October 1972 in Naríthjábæk to parents Kristófer Eyríkur Tómasson (born 1948) and Marie Trondheim (born 1950). Her father is Velkanian and worked at a commercial fishery, while her mother is from Hartland and worked in retail. The family was working-class. She was given the name Hildegard in order to honor her Hartish maternal roots. Hildegard is the elder of two daughters; her younger sister is Grete, born  (1975-03-31) 31 March 1975 (age 48).

Hildegard began her education in 1979, attending a local public primary school, where she became interested in art and music. After graduating from primary school in 1989, Hildegard began attending Naríthjábæk Academy, where she became immersed in the post-punk music and club scene of Naríthjábæk. While a high school student, Hildegard described herself as being a "troublemaker," who frequently had to be disciplined by authority figures. She was nearly expelled during her second year of high school, after being caught smoking marijuana with friends outside of the school building. Hildegard studied a social sciences program at school, graduating in 1992. After finishing her high school education, Hildegard enrolled in the Faculty of Social Sciences at the University of Velkania, studying sociology.

Hildegard graduated with her bachelor's degree in 1995. After finishing her education, Hildegard began working at Color+, a nonprofit organization dedicated to assisting non-white immigrants settling in the Velkanian Isles. After working there for two years, she became an organizing coordinator at the Velkanian Isles branch of Project Rainbow, an international organization dedicated to the advancement of LGBT rights.

## Political career

### Political beginnings

Hildegard first became politically active in her youth, supporting a number of politically left-wing causes since being a teenager. She was not registered with a political party until she was 24, registering with the Left Party.

In 2002, Hildegard applied to stand as a candidate in the 2002 snap election in the Capital Region constituency of the Stádlink. She went on to be elected, and has been reelected in 2004, 2008, 2012, and 2016.

### Leader of the Left Party

In October 2011, party leader Natalía Persdætr announced that she planned on stepping down as Leader of the Left Party prior to the upcoming 2012 election, as she decided to retire from politics and would not be standing as a candidate. After this announcement, Hildegard was widely rumored to be the most likely candidate to take her place. On 12 November 2011, Hildegard was officially named her successor, and she took office on 24 November.

## Personal life

Hildegard has one child, a daughter named Rosalía, born  (1994-05-07) 7 May 1994 (age 29), while Hildegard was still a university student. Rosalía has never met her father and thus carries the matronymic surname Hildegardardætr; she was raised by Hildegard and Hildegard's parents. Hildegard is a dual citizen of the Velkanian Isles and Hartland, and speaks both Velkanian and Hart fluently.