Hrafn Gabríel Hólmsson

*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* Hrafn Gabríel*.*

**Hrafn Gabríel Hólmsson** (born 20 November 1966) is a Velkanian politician and lawyer who has served as Minister of Transportation since 2016. A Liberal-Democrat, Hrafn Gabríel has additionally served as a member of the Stádlink since 2008. He is the second openly LGBT Velkanian person to serve as a cabinet minister, following Fúsi Bastíansson.

Born in Naríthjábæk, Hrafn Gabríel graduated from Naríthjábæk Junior College in 1986. Afterwards, he enrolled in the University of Naríthjábæk and received his law degree in 1992. Hrafn Gabríel then began working as a public prosecutor for the Ministry of Justice. As a prosecutor, Hrafn Gabríel frequently prosecuted crimes involving domestic violence, assault, and child abuse. Hrafn Gabríel was elected to the Stádlink for the Liberal-Democrats in the 2008 election, representing the Northern Velkania constituency. Following the 2016 election, Hrafn Gabríel was appointed Minister of Transportation by Síf María Vílhelmsdætr for her second cabinet.

## Early life and education

Hrafn Gabríel was born on 20 November 1966 in Naríthjábæk to parents Hólm Hrafnsson (1938–1999) and Hekla Liljá Dagthórsdætr (born 1940). His father was an airline pilot for Velkanian Air, while his mother was a flight attendant. Hrafn Gabríel is the eldest of three children; his younger siblings include Samúel, born  (1970-05-30) 30 May 1970 (age 53), and Eyvör María, born  (1972-06-22) 22 June 1972 (age 51).

Hrafn Gabríel began his education in 1973, attending a local public primary school. He graduated from primary school in 1983, and subsequently enrolled in Naríthjábæk Junior College to study a general academic program. He graduated from high school in 1986, and then enrolled in the Faculty of Law at the University of Naríthjábæk, graduating with his law degree in 1992. After finishing his education, Hrafn Gabríel began working as a public prosecutor at the Ministry of Justice.

## Political career

### Political beginnings

Hrafn Gabríel was raised in a family of Liberal-Democrats, and registered with the party upon turning 16. In 2008, Hrafn Gabríel applied to stand as a candidate in the 2008 election in the Northern Velkania constituency of the Stádlink. He went on to be elected, and has been reelected in 2012 and 2016.

### Minister of Transportation

After the Liberal-Democrats won the 2016 election with an outright majority and ended their coalition with the Green-Agrarian Party, it was announced by Síf María Vílhelmsdætr that she would be nominating Hrafn Gabríel for the position of Minister of Transportation in her second cabinet, since the previous minister Svala Ingibjörg Halldórsdætr had been promoted to Minister of Education and Culture. Ragnhildur IV formally appointed Hrafn Gabríel as Minister of Transportation on 1 December 2016.

## Personal life

Hrafn Gabríel began a relationship with Velkanian flight attendant Anna Björt Nökkvisdætr in 1995. They later become engaged after six months of dating, and married in 1997. Hrafn Gabríel and Anna Björt had one daughter together: Lydía, born  (2000-01-28) 28 January 2000 (age 24). Hrafn Gabríel came out as gay in 2002, and filed for divorce from Anna Björt; the divorce was finalized later that year. Hrafn Gabríel has stated that he and Anna Björt remained on good terms and shared dual custody of their daughter.

Hrafn Gabríel began a relationship with Velkanian lawyer Fridríkur Jóhannsson in 2005. They became engaged on the day a same-sex marriage bill passed the Stádlink in 2007, and later married in 2008. Fridríkur has adopted Lydía as a stepfather.