Ásleif Guðlín Erlendardattir

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

**Ásleif Guðlín Erlendardattir** (born 17 May 1979) is a Velkanian politician who has served as Minister of Justice in the second Sif María Vilhjálmardattir cabinet since 2018. She is additionally the leader and founder of the Reform Party, and has served in the Orthing since 2018.

Born in Narísandur, Ásleif graduated from Narísandur Academy in 1999. After graduating, she enrolled in the University of Narísandur, graduating with her law degree in 2005. She began her law career after graduating, working as a private litigation attorney. Ásleif became active in politics in 2008, when she began campaigning for the Social Democratic Party. She was included on the Social Democratic list in the 2010 election, but was not elected to parliament. In 2015, Ásleif left the Social Democrats and formed the Reform Party. Frustrated with the apparent lack of transparency in the Social Democratic Party leadership, Ásleif founded the Reform Party in order to push for anti-corruption, government transparency, direct democracy, and social liberalism in the Velkanian Isles. The party contested the 2018 election with Ásleif as party leader, where they won eight seats and Ásleif was elected to the Orthing. The party entered a coalition deal with the Liberal-Conservatives and People's Party, leading Ásleif to be nominated Minister of Justice by Sif María Vilhjálmardattir for her second cabinet.

## Early life, education, and career

Ásleif was born on 17 May 1979 in Narísandur to parents Erlendur Leif Bergmarsson (born 1947) and Anna Hvönn Bjarkadattir (born 1950). Her father was a police officer, while her mother was a legal secretary. Ásleif was raised in the suburban Greniklaustur neighborhood of Narísandur. She is the elder of two daughters; her younger sister is Elín Sif, born  (1982-01-29) 29 January 1982 (age 41).

Ásleif began her education in 1985, attending a local, public primary school in Narísandur. She graduated from primary school in 1995, subsequently enrolling in Narísandur Academy to study a social sciences program. She ultimately graduated in 1999. After graduating, Ásleif enrolled in the Faculty of Law at the University of Narísandur. She graduated with her law degree in 2005. After graduating, Ásleif began working as a private litigation attorney at a mid-sized Narísandur law firm.

## Political career

### Early politics

Ásleif began her political career in 2008, when she first began campaigning with the Social Democratic Party. She was included as the forty-eighth name on the party list in the 2010 election, but the party did not win enough seats and she was not elected to parliament. After her electoral loss, Ásleif returned to her law career while still actively volunteering with the party. She was not included as a candidate in the 2014 election.

In November 2015, Ásleif formed the Reform Party and left the Social Democrats. In the announcement, Ásleif alleged there were "widespread issues with transparency" within the Social Democrats that led to a "hierarchy fueled by *quid pro quo* and treachery." Social Democratic party leader Ólafur Hallgrímarson called the claims "outlandish" and said that Ásleif was a "low-level one-time candidate who was not closely connected with the party in any way to know the inner workings of the Social Democrats."

Nevertheless, Ásleif's claims and the formation of her own party became nationwide news, increasing her name recognition and damaging the public image of the Social Democrats. In the run-up to the 2018 election, Ásleif asserted that her political platform was "very similar" to the Social Democrats, but that she emphasized anti-corruption, government transparency, and citizens' direct involvement in democracy, which "directly contrasts with the platform of the Social Democrats." In the 2018 election, the Reform Party won eight seats, with Ásleif being elected to the Orthing.

### Minister of Justice

After her success in the election, Ásleif was invited by Sif María Vilhjálmardattir to begin talks regarding a possible coalition between the Reform Party, the Liberal-Conservatives, and People's Party led by Óttarr Fjölvarsson. Discussions began on 26 February 2018, two days after the election. The media reported that the Reform Party's major demands were anti-corruption legislation and increased government transparency.

On 7 March, Ásleif confirmed that an agreement had been reached between the Liberal-Conservatives, People's Party, and the Reform Party. They then began discussing ministerial appointments, with Ásleif reportedly being most interested in serving as Minister of Justice. Ministerial discussions concluded on 13 March, with Ásleif being nominated by Sif to serve as Minister of Justice in her second cabinet; one other member of the cabinet also comes from the Reform Party. The government was sworn in by Ragnhildur II later that day.

## Personal life

Ásleif began a relationship with Velkanian environmental lawyer Stígur Björn Ákason in 2009. They had previously met while they were both students at the University of Narísandur, but did not begin a relationship until years later. They became engaged in 2011, and married later that year. They have two children together: Bastían Einar, born  (2012-04-27) 27 April 2012 (age 11), and Birta Kristbjörg, born  (2014-06-08) 8 June 2014 (age 9). The family resides in the Greniklaustur neighborhood of Narísandur.