Sigurdardottir takes office as Iceland PM

REYKJAVIK, Iceland, Feb. 1 (UPI) -- Johanna Sigurdardottir has been named Iceland's new prime minister, officials said Sunday, becoming the modern world's first openly gay national leader.

Sigurdardottir, 66, who was serving as the interim prime minister, was officially named to the post Sunday by the country's new coalition of political parties. She replaces Geir Haarde, whose conservative-led coalition collapsed last month under the strain of an escalating economic crisis, the BBC reported.

Upon taking office, Sigurdardottir's coalition said the new government would immediately start to tackle Iceland's crisis, issuing a statement saying, "The government inherits enormous difficulties due to the banking and systemic collapse as well as considerable and rapidly increasing foreign debts and liabilities of the national economy."

Coalition leaders promised to replace the governors of Iceland's central bank and to look into joining the European Union, the BBC said.

Analysts told the broadcaster that while Sigurdardottir has never hidden her homosexuality she is very private about her personal life, never discussing it in public.