President of Iceland sworn in for fourth time

2 (Xinhua) -- President of Iceland Olafur Ragnar Grimsson officially re-inaugurated without opponents, according to reports reaching here from Reykjavik Saturday. The ceremony launched the president's fourth term in office on Friday evening. One term runs for four years and Grimsson was granted without an election since ... ...was the only candidate, reported the Icelandic media 24 Stundir. The presidential office was established when Iceland became an independent republic on June 17, 1944 and Grimsson became the Nordic nation's fifth president in June 1996, said 24 Stundir, adding that Grimsson was born on May 14, 1943 in northwestern Iceland. 24 Stundir said Grimsson was also the only candidate and inaugurated a second term without election in 2000, while in a 2004 vote he easily beat two competitors, securing 85.6 percent of the votes.

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