Bjarni studied constitutional law and became a professor at the University of Iceland at age 24. He was elected to the city council in Reykjavík in 1934 as a member of the Independence Party and from 1940 to 1947 was mayor of the city.
In 1947 he became Foreign Minister and served in various posts in cabinets until 1956. Bjarni was mainly responsible for Iceland joining NATO in 1949, against significant opposition, and for giving the United States Air Force a lease on Keflavík Airport near Reykjavík, which was of major strategic importance during the Cold War.[1] Bjarni was caricatured by the Nobel prize winning writer Halldór Laxness in his 1948 play Atómstöðin (The Atom Station).[1]
In 1956, when the left-wing parties formed a coalition government, Bjarni, out of office, became editor of Morgunblaðið, a leading conservative newspaper. In 1959, when the Independence Party formed a coalition government with the Social Democrats, Bjarni became Minister of Justice. He served as speaker of the Althing in 1959.[2] Two years later he was elected chairman of the Independence Party and in 1963 he took over from Ólafur Thors as Prime Minister. When Bjarni became prime minister, he received a congratulatory letter from the president of the United States, John F. Kennedy, only six days before his assassination.[3] Bjarni served in this position until his death, which was caused by a fire at a government summer house at Þingvellir on 10 July 1970. His wife and grandson also perished in the blaze. Jóhann Hafstein was made prime minister immediately following his death.
^ abWilliams, Moray (11 July 1970). "A Premier Dies, with wife and grandson, in fire". The Guardian. London. p. 3. ProQuest185405902.(Subscription or UK public library membership required)
"Minning látinna manna". Althingi (Icelandic Parliament) (in Icelandic). Text of a speech in the Icelandic parliament by Sigurvin Einarsson on 10 October 1970, commemorating Bjarni
