Member of the Icelandic Parliament — Samfylkingin
Dagur B. Eggertsson is a physician, author, and politician who has been one of the leading figures in the Social Democratic Alliance for nearly three decades. He is best known for serving as Mayor of Reykjavík for nearly ten years in total from 2014 to January 2024, in addition to a brief tenure in the office in 2007-2008. During his mayoralty, the city underwent extensive changes, particularly in the areas of transportation, urban planning, and housing. He was a consistent advocate for equality and climate issues in his work. Dagur completed his medical degree from the University of Iceland in 1999 and worked as a physician for several years before dedicating himself to politics. He served on the Reykjavík City Council from 2002 and led the Social Democratic Alliance in the city as its leader continuously from 2006 to 2025. In 2024, he was elected to the Althingi for Reykjavík North constituency, taking on a new role as a member of parliament after decades of municipal governance. Beyond his political career, Dagur has made significant contributions in education and innovation. He served as president of the University of Iceland Student Council, executive director of the Student Innovation Fund, and as a program producer at the National Broadcasting Service. He is the author of a three-volume biography of Steingrímur Hermannsson, a former prime minister, as well as the book Nýja Reykjavík about transformations in the capital.
Dagur B. Eggertsson's career has been exceptionally diverse, spanning multiple fields. He served as president of the University of Iceland Student Council from 1994 to 1995 and then as executive director of the Student Innovation Fund from 1995 to 1996. From 1995 to 1998, he worked as a program producer and science journalist at the National Broadcasting Service, Rás 1, where he covered scientific topics for the general public. After completing his medical education, Dagur worked as a resident physician at Landspítali University Hospital from 2000 to 2001 and as a general practitioner in Ísafjörður in 2001. He continued his medical work in the emergency department and infectious disease ward at Landspítali from 2002 to 2004. Despite a successful career in medicine, Dagur was drawn to politics. In 2002, he was elected to the Reykjavík City Council for the Reykjavík List and quickly became a leading voice in the city's policy-making. He chaired the planning committee from 2004 to 2006 and became the leader of the Social Democratic Alliance's city council group in 2006, a role he held until 2025. He served as mayor for the first time briefly from October 2007 to January 2008, and then again as chairman of the city council from 2010 to 2014. In June 2014, he became mayor once more and held the office until January 16, 2024, when he stepped down but continued as chairman of the city council until January 2025. During these years, he led extensive projects for the city and was respected internationally, including as chair of Champion Mayors for Inclusive Growth at the OECD from 2022 to 2024.