A prominent Icelandic lawyer and former presidential candidate, Herdís Kjerulf Þorgeirsdóttir, has sparked widespread debate by questioning whether large land purchases by British billionaire Jim Ratcliffe could threaten Iceland’s sovereignty. The story was first reported by Mannlíf and Vísir on 19 October 2026.
Herdís made her concerns public in a detailed Facebook post, asking, “Could his land holdings threaten Iceland’s sovereignty?” Her remarks have since drawn significant attention, prompting reactions and sparking a major public debate, according to Vísir.
Reports describe Jim Ratcliffe as one of the richest people in the world. Herdís criticised the scale of his land acquisitions in Iceland, focusing attention on broader national questions about foreign ownership of Icelandic properties.
Sources
- Mannlíf (first reported) in Icelandic
- Vísir in Icelandic
