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Independant presidential candidate Gudni Johannesson (L) cuts a cake next to his wife Eliza Reid at an election party in Reykjavik, on June 25, 2016. Political newcomer Gudni Johannesson claimed victory in Iceland's presidential election after riding a wave of anti-establishment sentiment, though the vote was eclipsed by the country's eagerly-anticipated and historic Euro football match.HALLDOR KOLBEINS/AFP / Getty Images

Voters in Iceland have elected a new president, and in doing so have made a Canadian woman the Nordic nation's new first lady.

Gudni Johannesson – a history professor who has never held public office – has been declared the winner of Sunday's vote, which means his wife, Eliza Reid, who grew up in the Ottawa valley, will assume the role of first lady.

The two met when they were both studying history in England. They moved to Iceland in 2003, married a year later and now have four children.

The Icelandic presidency, which Mr. Johannesson will assume on Aug. 1, is a largely ceremonial role that's been compared to Canada's governor-general.

The 40-year-old Ms. Reid, who works as a writer and editor, recently said she believed her Canadian background had helped her husband's campaign because she doesn't try to be something she's not, and that appeals to people.

She also said she felt welcomed by Icelandic society and would consider it a tremendous honour to be first lady.

In his campaign, Mr. Johannesson, 48, advocated a constitutional clause allowing citizen-initiated referendums over parliamentary bills, saying it would help ensure the nation always had the final say in the largest issues affecting it.

Icelanders' faith in authorities was shaken by years of austerity measures and capital controls, which were imposed to restore a shattered economy after the country's largest banks collapsed in 2008 during the global financial crisis.

President Olafur Grimsson, 73, who has served five straight four-year terms, had been ahead in polls until May, when he withdrew his candidacy after leaked documents, called the Panama papers, showed his wife had links to offshore accounts.

Mr. Grimsson had begun his candidacy citing a need for stability after then-prime minister Sigmundur Gunnlaugsson resigned in 2015 when the Panama papers showed he also had owned an offshore company in a tax haven together with his wife.

Neither Mr. Gunnlaugsson nor Mr. Grimsson has been accused of doing anything illegal related to the offshore dealings. But the links still raised ire among many Icelanders, sparking demonstrations in the capital.

Iceland has been gradually recovering from the 2008 financial meltdown in recent years. Economic growth is expected to reach 4 per cent this year and unemployment is at pre-crisis levels.

But gross national income per capita is still down by a quarter since 2007 and a tenth of the 332,000 Icelanders have fallen into serious loan default, with thousands of homes repossessed.

Candidates in presidential elections in Iceland run as independents.

With files from Reuters

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